Selective Memory
by gwrageddnc
Summary: "Because…I've caught myself wishing that I could forget all the horrible things you've done." "But you can't, can you?" Wanting to make sure the Prom goes perfectly, Bonnie casts a spell that doesn't work out like she planned.
1. Chapter 1

Selective Memory

"_Because…I've caught myself wishing that I could forget all the horrible things you've done."_

"_But you can't, can you?"_

"Why do I get the feeling we are at a practice run for Caroline's wedding?"

"Because we are."

"I hope everything goes ok tonight. No drama, murders. Caroline deserves that." Matt smiled. "And it would be nice to have a dance without a body count."

"You're right." Bonnie agreed. "I think that Caroline deserves that. Let's just make sure she gets her wish." She said with a strange smile.

"Bonnie?" Matt questioned as Bonnie closed her eyes and murmured something in latin. Matt got knocked back a few feet and the lights brightened considerably for a moment.

"Bonnie!?"

Bonnie opened her eyes. "That should do it." She said with a smile.

Caroline put the finishing touches on her hair and then turned to admire the dress hanging behind her on the door. Once again Klaus had come through. He made her night go from a disaster to perfect in a matter of moments, even with the belief that this was a silly exercise. She removed the dress from the hanger and thought about the smile that was on his face while he listened to her. He had such a nice smile when it was tinged with evil.

She sighed.

She didn't need to be thinking about Klaus. Not after everything he had done. She put the dress on and admired herself in the mirror. Perfect. It was going to be a perfect, even if she didn't have a date to accompany her. For just a moment she considered what it would be like if Klaus took her to prom. She remembered their dance the night of the Michaelson Ball. What would it be like to actually be 'his'?

She shook her head. No more thinking about Klaus.

But again the thoughts came, what would it be like to kiss him, to be the one person in a thousand years to make the ancient hybrid 'feel'. If only she could forget all the things he had done….

Suddenly, Caroline staggered. She felt a heat behind her eyes, then a blinding pain. She let out a moan and almost crumpled to the floor. As suddenly as it came the pain was gone. She stood up and took a few steadying breaths.

She looked in the mirror. Perfect. Except for the fact she had no date. She thought about Klaus and his smile when she asked him for the dress.

She thought for a moment. Should she? What could go wrong? All he could do is say 'no', right?

She picked up her phone and hit his number before she could talk herself out of it.

It rang several times and then went to voice mail. She disconnected looking disappointed. She looked in the mirror again. No tonight was going to be one of the most important of her young life. She wasn't going to give up that easily. She dialed again. Still she was surprised when after only two rings there was a voice on the other end.

"Please tell me you aren't calling for a tiara." She smiled at the warmth in his voice. Maybe he wouldn't say 'no'.

"I just wanted to thank you again for this dress. Its perfect and wonderful."

"I'm glad you like it. Although to be fair, Princess Grace has nothing on you, luv."

"I was wondering if I could ask you just one more favor."

He chuckled. "And we are back to the tiara."

"No, no tiara." She said laughing and then she felt her throat dry up.

"Caroline…" He prompted.

She took a deep breath. "I know you think this is silly and stupid. And I know that being a thousand years old, you have so many other things you could be doing. And that this would probably not even be on the list of the top one hundred, but it means a lot to me. And I know its last minute, so you may not even be free. And its fine if you say 'no'. I mean I hope you don't, but I was just wondering and hoping that maybe you'd say 'yes'…."

"Caroline…" He tried to interrupt her rambling.

"Look, I just wondered if there was any way, any chance you would like to go with me."

There was dead silence over the phone.

"As my date."

Again there was nothing. She felt foolish.

"It was a stupid idea. Just forget it. I shouldn't have bothered you."

"Is this some kind of trick?" His voice had lost its warmth and sounded cold.

"Trick? No why?"

"Trying to keep me busy so someone can sneak in and get the cure? Because I have to tell you, sweetheart. Elijah has the cure, not me."

"I don't know what you are talking about." She snapped. "Look just forget I asked." She said, disconnecting the phone feeling embarrassed and confused.

_What was he talking about? Why would this be a trick? Why wouldn't she want him to go with her?_

Klaus stood staring at the phone in his hand.

What kind of game was she playing? Certainly she wasn't being truthful. She wouldn't ask _him_ to go to her prom with her, _would she?_

Except…Caroline was a terrible liar and she didn't sound guilty over the phone, just nervous, then…disappointed.

"We need to talk Nicklaus." Elijah entered his study.

Klaus glared at him. "I believe we've said all we need to say." He practically glared at his brother.

"Not quite." He held up the white oak stake.

Caroline danced with Stefan, of course discussing Elena. So far her perfect night was not living up to her expectations. Her fight with Elena as soon as she walked in the door definitely put a damper on it, but she knew she was still hurting from Klaus' rejection.

"I see you found a dress."

"Its from Klaus." She said. "Don't ask."

"You know you have Klaus wrapped around your little finger, right?"

"If I had Klaus wrapped around my finger, then I wouldn't be here alone right now."

"I'm sure where ever he is, Tyler wishes he could be here with you right now."

Caroline sighed. "I wasn't talking about Tyler."

Stefan pulled back and gave her a look.

"You aren't talking about Klaus, are you?"

"I don't want to talk about it. I asked him to come and he said 'no', ok?"

"Caroline…"

"I DON'T want to talk about it." She insisted. His look of surprise confused her. "Are you making any progress with the dress thief?" She asked attempting to change the subject.

Klaus stood alone again in his study.

_It is such a hollow little life you lead, Nicklaus._

The words echoed in his head.

_I just wondered if there was any chance you'd like to go with me….as my date._

He stared at the wall for a moment more then walked quickly from the room.

Caroline stood next to Damon. "This prom sucks! This is our last dance together, and its awful. This is not how I wanted to remember this night."

Damon handed her his flask.

"Thank you."

She took a deep drink.

"If anyone asks, I'll be at the after party." She said, knowing no one would ask. No one would even miss her.

She turned and walked away, heading outside.

"Leaving so soon, luv?"

She looked up in shock, there stood Klaus looking so very handsome in a tuxedo.

"What are you doing here?" She breathed.

"Forgive me for being tardy, it took forever to get my hair just right." He walked up to her and held out his hand. "Would you care to dance?"

The smile that lit up her face made everything worth it and he swore his heart almost started to beat again under that light in that smile.

"I'd love to."

He danced as well as she remembered. She looked up at him and just enjoyed the feeling of being in his arms with his eyes focused totally on her. This man, this hybrid, who had seen a millennia come and go seemed to be utterly captivated by her and if she was honest, she was utterly captivated by him as well. She found herself getting lost in his eyes, but at the same time she had the desire to be closer, to feel his arms tight around her, to feel his lips against hers, his skin…

Caroline blushed and looked down. Way to get ahead of herself.

When she glanced back up he was smirking at her, as if he could read her mind.

"I didn't think you were coming." She spoke to break the spell he seemed to have her in.

"I apologize, but I didn't really think you meant it when you asked me."

"Why wouldn't I?"

"After everything that has happened Caroline, its not like you've ever spent time willingly with me without an agenda." He said quietly.

"What are you talking about?" She was confused. She remembered the time they had spend together at the Ball and the Miss Mystic. She tried to think about them in depth, but it gave her a headache.

"Caroline?" He questioned, pulling back to look at her. He didn't see anything in her eyes but confusion. "What…" He began.

"Oh no." She said suddenly when she noticed something behind him.

"What is it?"

She nodded and turned so he could see what she was seeing. "A group huddle. That has to mean all hell is about to break loose. Someone is about to die, or some crisis has come up." She sighed. "I just wanted tonight to be perfect, it figures that now that it is something would have to go wrong. I better go see what's up."

She went to pull away but he held her fast.

"Why don't you let them deal with whatever catastrophe is about to occur?" He asked staring at her intently.

"But…"

He turned them so her back was to her friends and pulled her closer, so he could whisper in her ear. "Caroline," She shivered at the sound and feel of his voice, "There are two hundred plus year old vampires and a very, very powerful witch obviously on the case. Why don't you let them worry about it, just this once, and enjoy your perfect evening?"

She licked her suddenly dry lips.

"Although, I fail to understand what the human brings to the mix." He said curious and teasing at the same time.

She laughed. "I guess if they need me, they'll come get me."

"Hopefully not." His hand rested on her back and he pulled back to look in her eyes again. She tingled missing him pressed close. "How long have you been dreaming of this night?"

She smiled. "Since I was four."

He laughed. She found she loved his laugh. "Four?"

"Yes, ok?" She laughed with him. "I always thought about how magical it would be. The dress, the lights, the music, the…." She trailed off, blushing. "It was like a fairy tale to me."

His eyes seemed to look right through her. "I'm flattered you asked me to be your escort." He whispered.

She wasn't sure if he pulled her closer, of if she moved closer on her own, but she found herself pressed up against him, staring into his eyes. They were nose to nose, lips almost brushing. Everything else just faded away, the entire prom, her friends, whatever catastrophe was about to erupt. The only thing that existed was the two of them.

Bonnie, Stefan, Damon and Matt were talking about the Silas situation.

Bonnie almost stamped her foot in frustration. "This wasn't supposed to be able to happen tonight. I thought I took measures to keep it from happening."

"What do mean, Bonnie?" Stefan asked intently.

She shook her head. "Where is Caroline?"

Damon looked up and made a face. "It seems Barbie is making new friends, in the biblical sense."

They all turned to look and saw Caroline dancing with Klaus. The two of them looked completely engrossed in each other, unaware of anything going on around them.

"WHAT?" Bonnie asked.

"Um, should we be worried about that?"

"We have other things to worry about over Barbie's abysmal taste in men." Damon sighed.

Stefan didn't say a word, he looked at the confusion on Bonnie's face, at Caroline, who looked happier than he had ever seen her, and at Klaus, who had a look on his face that Stefan had never seen, he looked happy and at peace.

Rebekah and Elena stood a little farther away also discussing Silas, when something caught Rebekah's eye.

"Oh you have to be kidding me?" She stated.

"What?" Elena asked irritated about being interrupted, she turned and saw what Rebekah saw, Caroline and Klaus wrapped around each other on the dance floor. It looked like they were moments away from kissing.

"Well, I didn't expect to see that." Elena laughed. "Looks like for once Caroline gave in to all those feelings she was having."

"I don't believe this." Rebekah stated angrily. "He openly taunts me for having feelings then indulges in this fascination with that trollop. She is so shallow and spoiled and insuffereable." Rebekah ranted.

"You're right." Elena agreed. "It is creepy, its like he's dating another version of you."

Rebekah turned to her, outraged. She opened her mouth to yell, but then April cut her off.

"Ok the votes have been tallied."

April's voice pulled Caroline and Klaus out from the spell they had been under. Caroline looked around surprised at where she was. She noticed there wasn't any music playing and she wondered how long they had been dancing without any music. She blushed and stepped back a little. She looked up at Klaus and saw him smiling warmly at her. She smiled back at him. Once again she felt the world slipping away. She licked her lips, in thought, but since she was staring at him she didn't miss the way his eyes darkened at her action. His fingertips stroked her arm lightly.

"Maybe we should…" She began, not even certain what she was going to say next.

"…Matt Donavan and Bonnie Bennett…."

She looked up surprised at hearing her friends' names. Klaus gritted his teeth with frustration.

He wasn't sure what he was expecting tonight when he got here. Honestly, he expected another ploy on behalf of her friends. He thought he would come and foil whatever plot they were cooking up and it would only enforce his belief that love and emotions were a weakness, proving his brother wrong. His life wasn't hollow, he was alive. He survived at any cost.

Instead, instead he found himself completely wrapped up in the blonde in front of him. One thousand years and he had never felt anything like this. He never wanted someone as much as he wanted her. And right now he wanted nothing more than to take her far away from all of this. He wanted to take her away where it was just the two of them and he could surround himself with her light.

He watched the smile on Caroline's face as she pulled him back as her friends took to the dance floor with the tiara and crown. The human boy looked ridiculous with that shining crown on his head. Unwilling to let go of Caroline, as if she might disappear or this might all be a dream, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back against him. He didn't miss the little sigh of contentment.

"Wishing it was you out there, luv?" He whispered in her ear.

She shook her head. "No." She smiled. "They deserve this." She turned her head slightly so her lips were close to his. "And I have everything I need right here."

He inhaled sharply and a big smile cut across his features. She was falling for him so fast and hard. Why did it take her so long to take a chance on this beautiful man in front of her? Was she really that intimidated by his age and his power? Looking at him now, the way he stared at her, she felt as if she was the only being in the world. She knew she wanted to keep this feeling for a very long time.

She tilted her head ever so slightly and leaned back just a bit, pressing her lips softly to his. She could feel him stiffen slightly in shock. She pulled back a fraction, afraid maybe she shouldn't have taken the intiative.

"Caroline…" his voice whispered, and before she could even process it, she was turned around in his arms with his lips firmly against hers. She clung to his shoulders, feeling dizzy, his lips were intoxicating. He was so gentle, but she could feel the tension running through him and just knew he was holding himself back. The realization made an electric jolt run through her. She could almost taste his desire for her on her lips, but he held back out of consideration for her. She ran one hand up over his should and cupped his neck pulling him closer. She opened her mouth and felt as well as heard the growl from him as he matched her actions.

Klaus couldn't get enough of her. It was taking everything he had not to flash them out of this very public arena and have her all to himself, but at the same time, he couldn't stop kissing her, couldn't stop touching her, not even to get her alone. It was the sweetest torture he ever endured. He tasted her tongue, her lips. He could feel her fingers lightly pressed against his neck. He could feel the beads on her gown pressed up against him through his tuxedo shirt and against his hand that held firmly to her lower back. He needed to feel her, her skin against his, but nothing could make him let go of her, or this moment.

A sharp wind blew around them and lights suddenly started exploding around them, causing them to separate in shock. Caroline looked up at him almost dazed. Her pupils were dilated and her skin was flushed. She took a couple of deep breaths.

"And here comes the catastrophe." She said with resignation. They listened for a moment.

She could hear Elena shout in pain and Bonnie arguing with Matt.

"I have to go." She said and was gone before he could even protest. Klaus clenched his fist in frustration. He really wanted to kill every one of her friends at this moment.

Caroline headed for where she heard the voices when she saw Bonnie run out and Elena a few steps behind her. There was blood on Elena's lips and a death look on her face. She quickly changed directions and headed out after them.

Klaus started after Caroline, but then heard his sister arguing with the human about whether or not to save another human. He stopped and headed for them, this was going to prove most interesting.

Caroline had stopped and found Damon and Stefan, both looking the worse for wear. She knew she was interrupting something, but she needed their help now.

"I think Elena is going after Bonnie." She snapped. That was all it took to get both brothers to follow her.

The came upon them in the parking lot. Elena was choking and screaming in pain and Bonnie was standing over her.

"Bonnie, stop this!" Caroline yelled.

"Bonnie you're killing her." Stefan yelled.

"I know what I'm doing."

Elena lay on the ground crying and begging for help.

Then Bonnie stopped. She looked stunned and frightened.

"You ok?" Stefan asked. Caroline could only stare at her two best friends in shock. How could the night turn in to this?

Bonnie ranted to Stefan about how she wasn't ok and then turned her eyes to Caroline. "And you!" She snapped. "How could you let this happen?"

"Me?"

"You were supposed to have the 'perfect' night." Bonnie snapped. "Instead you are busy making out with Klaus while everything falls apart."

"What are you talking about?" Caroline insisted.

But Bonnie just walked away.

Stefan and Damon both held Elena. Caroline saw Stefan take out a syringe and push it into the back of her neck.

"Plan B." Stefan stated. They looked to Elena.

"We're going to take her back to the boarding house, keep her locked up, while we work on getting her to turn her humanity back on."

Caroline nodded dumbly.

"We'll need all the help we can get."

She sighed. Of course, another night ended focusing on Elena. She forced a smile. "Just let me go get changed and I'll head that way."

Stefan nodded at her. He gave her a look. "Are you ok, Caroline?"

"Sure why wouldn't I be, another dance ruined."

"I meant with Klaus."

She snorted. "He was the only good thing about tonight." She said bitterly. "Of course, now that I ditched him for all this, I'm sure he's decided I'm too much drama."

Stefan opened his mouth to say something, but Damon cut him off.

"And this night gets even weirder." Damon adjusted Elena. "Let's get Elena back, we can work on who snatched Barbie's brain when she gets to the house."

He headed off with Elena.

"Caroline, come over as soon as you get changed, ok?" He looked at her very worried.

"I said I would." She snapped. He gave her another strange look and headed off after his brother.

She sighed, wondering how things could go from wonderful to horrible so quick. Oh right, Mystic Falls.

She turned and headed slowly back to her house to get changed.

Rebekah stood there with tears in her eyes, knowing that she probably lost her one chance at becoming human.

"Dear sweet April Young…" She heard Nik's voice behind her. She turned quickly the tears brimming over.

She fought with him, inside wondering where the man she had seen earlier had gone. The one with the soft eyes and soft smile staring with such feeling at Caroline Forbes. How could he look at her with such disinterest.

"Are you going to tell Elijah?" She whispered.

"No, you are."

He heart broke as she listened to the venom in his words. How could he hate her so much as to deny her this?

"Thankfully I don't have to waste anymore breath on the subject." He stated walking away.

"What does that mean?" She demanded, but he didn't respond. She frantically pulled out her phone and dialed Elijah.

Klaus stood in front of Caroline's door. He searched the prom for her, but when he couldn't find her, he assumed she came home. He knocked lightly on the door and waited a few moments until she answered.

"I said I'd be over as soon as I changed." Her voice came as the door swung open. Her voice cut out abruptly as she stood there staring at him in shock. She had changed out of the dress and her hair was now pulled back in a sloppy bun. She had on a pair of jeans and a black tank top. He thought she looked just as beautiful as she had earlier.

"Well, I'm sorry I missed the changing, but if you are coming over…" He practically purred.

She blushed and looked down. "Um, no. I have to go over to Stefan's and work on project 'Save Elena'." She muttered. She looked back up at him. "I'm sorry I took off like that, there was a situation. There's always a situation."

He watched her for a moment and suddenly made up his mind. "I think we've both had enough drama for one night." He watched her face fall.

"I understand." She said sadly. She turned and went to go back in the house, not wanting to see when he decided that she was just a baby vampire.

"I think we need to get out of town for a few days." He continued.

"What?" She spun around.

"Its Friday night. I can have you back by Sunday evening, ready for school on Monday." He said with confidence.

"You want me to go away with you?" She asked stunned.

"Why not? I'm sure the Salvatore's can handle project 'Save Elena' for a few days. Why don't we take a break from Mystic Falls?" He knew Elijah and Rebekah were going to be after his blood for what he did, and while they were no threat to him now that he had the white oak stake, he didn't want to deal with them quite yet. "Just the two of us." He said stepping closer to Caroline. "No Elena, no Salvatore's, no Silas, no Bonnie, no drama." She licked her lips looking up at him. He could see the doubt warring with hope on her face.

"You don't have to save everyone all of the time Caroline. Occasionally, you are allowed to think about yourself."

Caroline found herself lost in his eyes. It sounded so wonderful. To be able spend time, without worrying constantly about everything.

"I'll need to leave my mom a note." She said. His face lit up and she knew she made the right decision.

"Excellent."


	2. Chapter 2a

Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you so much for everyone who took the time to read this. I appreciate the reviews, follows and favorites. **

**I'm really excited about this story and I have it all planned out to follow loosely with the end of Season 4. I don't believe I'm going to include the Hayley pregnancy storyline though. I thought it was pretty ridiculous and personally, the actress who plays Hayley irks me. She irked me on The Secret Circle show too, which was why I never got into it.**

**Anyway, here is the next chapter. It ran pretty long, so I broke it up into two parts. I'm going to try and have the second half up tonight or tomorrow, I just want to try re edit it. I don't have a beta, so any and all mistakes are my own and I do apologize if they take away from the story. Without further interruption, here is the next chapter, I hope you enjoy it. **

It was close to midnight when they left and Klaus wouldn't say anything about their destination, other than it was a surprise, and not to pack anything too nice.

They drove through the night in a brand new 4WD Jeep Cherokee. She had left a vague note for her mom and turned her phone off after the incessant ringing from Stefan and Matt calling kept reminding her of everything she was leaving behind. The farther they drove into the darkness, the more Caroline felt herself letting go of the stress and worries of Mystic Falls. They didn't speak much, but the silence wasn't uncomfortable. In fact, Caroline felt for maybe the first time that she didn't need to keep conversation going to fill in the quiet, vastly different from all her evenings with Matt or Tyler.

She glanced over at Klaus, watching his profile in the lights along the highway that would sporadically illuminate the car. His face was usually set in a mask, however it seemed the farther they got outside of Mystic Falls, the more he seemed to relax as well. His jaw wasn't clenched and his lips were turned up almost in a smile. Caroline knew that she was one of very few people who got to see this side of him.

She looked away from him, out the window, as she remembered when Silas had attacked him and he called her for help. She had been awful to him, almost refusing to help him unless he…what? Why had she behaved like that? She felt a pounding in her temples. She rubbed at them a bit.

"Are you all right?" His voice slid across the car.

She smiled over at him, at his concern. The pounding eased immediately. "I'm fine. I think I just need to feed."

"There are some bags in the cooler on the back seat."

"Well, you just thought of everything." She teased.

"The goal of this trip is to take away all your worries and cares. Of course I put thought into your comfort and feeding habits." He chastised her lightly.

Caroline waited for the embarrassment to come. The neurosis that usually had her craving attention that also made her self-conscious when she received it, but all she felt was warmth that made her smile.

"Thank you." She said simply. She put back her seat and leaned into the back seat to open the cooler.

Klaus watched her out of the corner of his eye. He still could hardly believe she agreed to come away with him. Part of him wondered what brought about her change of heart this evening, but he refused to dwell on it. She was here with him, willingly, even eager to get away from everything, and spend time with him.

He wondered what she would think of their destination. He was certain she was expecting a hotel somewhere in a busy city, but he didn't want to share her with anyone for the next two days. Plus this place had a lot of meaning to him. He wasn't going to share all that with her, but he did want her to see it.

She turned back around to the front with a blood bag in her hands. She looked over at him, shy and hesitant, before she turned her head back to the front. She waited another few moments and then he saw the veins come out around her eyes and her fangs drop as she bit into the bag. His hands clenched the steering wheel tight, and he forced himself to stare ahead at the road concentrating on the white lines in the center that disappeared under the wheels of vehicle.

She was magnificent. She was so beautiful in every way. He wanted nothing more than to claim her, make her his. He wanted more than her body. He wanted her by his side. He wanted to watch her as she grew into the amazing woman he knew she would become.

Caroline finished the bag in front of her. She heard Klaus take a deep breath and wondered what that was about. She looked over at him, but he seemed focused on the road. She wondered briefly where he was taking her, but she wasn't too concerned, she was just happy to be here with him. She thought back to the prom, how the feel of his lips transported her away. She didn't know what would come of this weekend, but instead of worrying about it, she was content, for once, to just take things as they came. Something about him, his presence and his acceptance and admiration of her just calmed everything inside of her.

She folded the bag up carefully, making sure not a single drop spilled in the vehicle.

"There is a bag in the back, on the floor for that." She smiled again at his thoughtfulness. She reached behind her and dropped the empty container in the garbage bag. She looked over at him and then leaned over and kissed him gently on the cheek, and stroked his arm lightly.

"What was that for?" He asked with a wide smile on his face that showed his dimples. It made warmth burst through her.

"For being so considerate." She said with a smile of her own. She sat back in her seat and stared out the window at the dark shadows that flew by the window. He took one hand off the steering wheel and laid it on the center console between them. She reached out and laced her fingers through his, she settled in and let her mind drift away enjoying the feeling of happiness and peace that was running through her.

~.~

Caroline jerked awoke several hours later when she felt the vehicle jerk and bounce. Her eyes flew open in shock. For a moment she didn't know where she was, then she felt someone stroking the back of her hand and she remembered. She looked over a Klaus bleary eyed.

"Sorry about that, luv. It is going to get a bit bumpy." As if to prove his words the vehicle tilted and jerked as it slowly crawled forward. "We're almost there, though."

"Where is 'there'?" She asked. She tried to look out the window, but all she could see was tree trunks. There was no sign of civilization or anything.

"Patience, is a virtue, you know." He teased her. He squeezed her hand for a moment before returning it to the steering wheel.

She looked out ahead of them and saw they were on a narrow dirt road with deep ruts in it. In some spots she could see what looked like small streams running down it towards the vehicle. Wherever they were going, they appeared to be going up. The lighted clock on the dashboard said it was close to 4am, so they had been driving for about 4 hours, but that really didn't tell her much about their location.

As they drove forward the trees parted and she saw the night sky before them, however there were no lights or any signs of life as far as she could see. On her side of the vehicle a rock wall rose straight up. From what she could see in the head lights, on Klaus' side there was a sheer drop. She sat up, tense at the situation.

"Not nervous are you? Don't trust my driving?" He chuckled.

"It's not your driving that worries me; it's this path we are driving on."

"We'll be fine; this is an excellent vehicle for this terrain."

"But what happens if we slide off the side?" She asked.

"Then we would roll down the mountain." He said lightly. "I'm sure a tree would stop us before we got too far though."

"That's real comforting." She muttered.

Even with the 4WD the vehicle spun a bit on the wet spots and Caroline gripped the handle on her door tightly as she watched the road in front of them. They were headed straight up now and while it was probably only a few minutes, it seemed like it took hours to climb up the mountain they were on.

Finally, towards the top, the trees crowded in close to the road as it seemed to level out. The dirt road turned to gravel and they finally stopped before a garage door. Caroline exhaled loudly, happy that they managed to make it up without any incidents.

"Stay here." He said. I'll go turn on some lights. He was gone in a flash and only a few moments went by before lights came on in front of the garage and the door slid open. Klaus got back in the vehicle and pulled it into the garage.

He looked at her, and seemed slightly nervous. "Well, we're here." He stated.

"I still don't know where 'here' is."

"C'mon, I'll show you around."

They came in from the garage and she saw a large living room with a small kitchen and big screen tv. "This is the rec room."

"Very nice." She commented.

They went down a long narrow hallway.

"The sauna is here." He pointed to a wooden door. "Weight room here." He pointed to another door across from it. By now, Carolyn's eyes were wide at all the amenities. He came to the end of the hall and opened a large glass door.

"This is your room." The room was bigger than her living room and kitchen combined. There was a large king size bed in the middle with metal rails rising to the ceiling, vines grew up the rails and around the top. There was another large screen TV, two doors on the back wall and a wall of windows, with a sliding door in the front. He gestured to the wall of windows. "That leads out to one of the porches, although there isn't much you can see right now." He walked over to one of the doors on the back wall. "This is the closet." He opened it up; it was the size of her bedroom. Then he opened the other door. "This is your bathroom." She gasped. In the center set a huge garden tub. At the far end was a marble shower with several different shower heads on the top and the walls. There was a double sink in the corner. Caroline stepped into the bathroom hesitantly.

"This is amazing." There was glass tile around the entire room. She stepped up and admired the tub, and then she noticed something strange. "Where's the faucet?" She was standing next to the knobs, but didn't see where the water came out. She looked over at him. She gulped at the heat in his eyes. "Klaus?" She said when he didn't answer right away.

Klaus had been enjoying her reactions to his house; she was the first person he ever brought here. Seeing her eyes light up at everything made him smile. When she stepped over to the bath tub, his mind was suddenly assaulted with images of her lying naked in that tub and his mouth went dry. He could picture it so clearly in his mind. She would be lying there naked surrounded by bubbles and he would wash every inch of her body until she was begging him to take her.

"Klaus?" She interrupted his train of thought. He realized he was staring at her; his intentions must be plain on his face. She got a small, knowing smile when he focused on her in the present. "Where are the faucets?" She asked probably for the second time he thought, but she didn't seem offended by his obvious lustful admiration.

He walked over and stood very close to her, noticing the blush that crept up her face. He gave her a slow smile and turned one of the knobs, his eyes never left hers. Suddenly a stream of water fell from the ceiling into the tub.

Caroline gasped in shock and looked up as the water fell. "That is so cool!" She said. "Oh my god! I want one of these."

"Well, it's yours for the next two days." He said.

"I may not leave the bath tub." She joked.

"Well, if you need any help washing your back." He said in her ear. He could feel the shiver run through her. She turned to face him, they were standing close together and he could feel the heat coming off of her. He moved closer to kiss her, but she stopped him with a hand on his chest.

"Aren't you going to show me the rest of the house?" She asked innocently

"I thought you were going to stay in the bath tub."

"Well, I'd like to see what all my options are." She teased.

He smiled at her, and then gave a loud exaggerated sigh. "Fine."

She giggled as he took her hand and pulled her from the bathroom and out of the bedroom, back to the rec room.

"So this is the basement. There is another spare bedroom over there." She looked at him surprised, what else did this house hold?

He opened a large door built into the back wall; it looked like it led to a cave.

"Torture room?" She asked.

"Wine cellar. Although…" She pushed his shoulder lightly.

He pulled her past the wine cellar to a staircase

"This is the main entrance." He said when they reached the top; she couldn't believe the opulence that was all around her. There were hardwood floors with Oriental Carpets every few feet, the walls were also wood with exposed beams, she noticed another staircase going up to third floor, but she walked past it down the hallway almost tentatively, going further into the house.

The hallway opened into a grand living room, the front wall was about 3 stories tall and covered with windows reaching a high arch. To her right was a huge stone fireplace. In front of it was a leather sofa. Past the fireplace, towards the windows was a small breakfast nook. She turned around and saw a huge chef's kitchen, with a bar and a large dining table in front of it. There were several doors that led out to another porch.

"You certainly don't believe in understated, do you?" She teased.

"That's no fun." He said.

"It really is nice." She said.

"Wait until you see it in daylight." He said. She looked up behind her and noticed a walkway running across.

"What's up there?"

"Two more bedrooms. One is mine, the other is for guests and farther back in the loft upstairs is a pool table. There is another spare bedroom in the hall we just came through."

"What no hot tub?" She joked turning slowly around taking in everything.

"There is one on this deck and one outside your bedroom." He said with a smile.

"Are you freaking kidding me?!" He laughed.

"I take it this meets with your approval."

"Um, yah, I guess I could stay here."

"Then sit down and relax. I will get the bags from the car."

"I can help you." She protested.

He led her over to the couch and lightly pushed her down. "You will do no such thing. I'll put your bag in your room."

"Ok." She agreed. "This couch is so comfortable."

He walked away and she heard him in the kitchen while she stared in awe at the fireplace in front of her, he returned a few moments later and held out a glass of wine for her.

"Thank you." She said.

"I'll be right back."

She leaned back on the couch and sipped the wine. It was really good, exactly how she liked it, not too dry. She could get used to this, not just the luxurious home, but the attentiveness of her companion. She was used to always having to be 'on' to get the attention of the males in her life. With Matt, she had to work so hard just to be with him and then after he found out what she was, to keep him. With Tyler, it was always about the drama of what was going on. She never had someone who just seemed so happy to be with her, who pursued her.

"_I want to know about you, your hopes, your dreams, what you want out of life."_

Who said things like that?

Well, obviously Klaus did.

The object of her musings appeared before her with his own glass of wine.

"That was fast." She observed.

"Well, I had a very good reason compelling me to hurry." He sat down and looked at her. "Now I can give you my undivided attention."

She smiled, she could definitely get used to this.

~.~

Caroline woke suddenly the next day, at first she had no idea where she was, then the softness of the bed reminded her, she was with Klaus. She had left with him last night and he brought her to this house, this chalet of his. They had talked for about an hour last night until the exhaustion of the previous day, the preparation for Prom, and the drama that was Prom caught up with her. He had been the perfect gentleman, dropping her at the top of the stairs and wishing her a good night. Part of her had wanted to kiss him and see where things went, but she was about to fall asleep standing up.

Ugh, her head was pounding like she drank an entire bar of alcohol instead of just 2 glasses of wine with him before her exhaustion caught up with her. She had been having a dream about Klaus, she knew, something about him and Tyler, but she couldn't remember it now and the more she thought about it, the worse her headache got. She looked over at the clock and saw it was after one in the afternoon. She needed to get out of bed instead of sleeping the day away. She walked into the bathroom and brushed her teeth. She hoped he had coffee. She felt like she needed a pot to get rid of this headache.

She climbed the stairs, about half way up she could smell the coffee and quickened her speed. She saw he had left her an entire spread of food and she was certain there were blood bags in the fridge, but coffee came first. She poured herself a cup and fixed it the way she liked it. She let out a sigh of happiness when she took a sip, feeling the headache ease slightly. She turned to the front windows and…only her vampire reflexes allowed her to catch the cup of coffee that slipped out of her hands, sloshing her with the hot liquid, but she didn't notice.

Caroline stared in shock at the view before her. She moved slowly to the windows, only to be stopped at the glass. She flashed over to the door and opened it quickly, stepping out onto the expansive deck.

She couldn't believe her eyes; it looked like they were sitting on top of the world, before her mountains spread out as far as the eye could see. Far off in the distance she could see a lake glinting in the sunlight. There was no sign of any other homes or roads. There were no sounds except birds calling in the trees. A huge smile spread over her face.

"I take it you approve then?" Klaus' voice came from behind her. She spun around, not even knowing he was there, more of her coffee sloshed on her hand.

He sat in a chair, with a sketch pad in his lap. He looked at her with a smile on his face.

"Where are we?" She asked.

"Just a little place I found a long time ago." He said.

"I didn't know places like this still existed." She admitted.

"I managed to buy up most of the land and donated it to the Forestry Service, on the agreement it would never be developed. Then I kept this spot for my own."

She turned back to the view. "It's beautiful. I could stare at this for hours."

She felt him approach and she was suddenly very aware that she was still in her pajamas, a small tank top and short cotton shorts. She hadn't even brushed her hair and had no makeup on.

"I could say the same about you." He said quietly. She leaned back against him and felt his arm come around her waist, his finger danced over the skin between her shorts and tank top on her stomach. A little shiver went through her. They stood there for a while, in comfortable silence, looking out at the view, while Caroline sipped what was left of her coffee. She realized her headache was completely gone. She thought back to her dream, but felt the stabbing pain in her temple again, so she focused again on the sight before her. She felt so calm and relaxed here. The rest of the world, Elena, Silas, Bonnie seemed like nothing more than a dream.

She finished her coffee, before she spoke again.

"I should probably go get cleaned up and dressed."

"I think you look perfect just as you are, but there are some places I'd like to show you, if you are agreeable, and you will need more clothes for that."

"Where are we going?"

"Someplace I think you'll enjoy." He teased not giving her any information.

"How will I know what to wear?" She persisted.

"Something basic, just make sure to wear good shoes, we'll be doing a lot of walking. And while a twisted ankle will heal rather quickly, it still doesn't feel good when it happens."

She nodded. "I brought some. I'll go change and we can go."

"Wonderful." His smile showed his excitement and she was reluctant to leave the shelter of his arms, especially when they felt so good around her. He stepped back and released her. She had the urge to kiss him before she went to get changed, but resisted, curiosity over their destination winning out.

~.~

Caroline returned in less than a half an hour, a record for her in getting ready. He was loading things up into a back pack.

"You probably want to eat before we go." He said. "We'll be gone until dark and the blood won't keep cool while we are out."

"All right." She watched as he poured some blood into a glass for her, she still felt a little self conscious drinking in front of him, but he seemed focused on packing up so she quickly downed the blood. She felt the immediate energy and strength a fluid gave her. She walked over to the sink and washed the glass out thoroughly.

Klaus packed some light snacks in the bag, along with another bottle of wine. He refused to look up at Caroline while she drank. Being here with her was the sweetest kind of torture. Spending time talking to her last night was now one of his favorite memories. He had never felt close to anyone before, not like this. As much as he wanted her the time they had spent so far, exceeded all of his expectations of the creature before him. When she walked out onto the deck earlier, while he had been drawing, the look of awe and appreciation over this spot made him do a double take. She looked so beautiful with the backdrop of the mountains. There were myths of fairy creatures alive in these mountains, creatures that were the physical embodiment of the nature surrounding them. Caroline Forbes could easily be mistaken for one such being.

He was actually nervous about where he was going to take her today. He knew he was taking a chance, but he had to do it.

"About ready?" He asked, finishing up the bag and zipping it closed.

"I'm all set." She answered.

He slung the bag over his shoulder and moved to the front door. He opened it and they stepped out. Caroline found the view here was just as stunning as it was on the other side of the house, only on this side there was a river cutting through the mountain valleys. Klaus walked across the driveway until he came to a path that seemed to meander down the mountain. He looked over at Caroline; she looked at him doubtfully for a moment.

"Don't worry." He assured her. "I promise it will be worth it."

She shook her head. "All right then, I'll trust you."

He smiled, sweeter words were never spoken.


	3. Chapter 2b

Chapter 2b

They walked down the mountain for hours, Caroline picked her way carefully on the path, as there were many spots with loose rocks where it would be easy to go tumbling down the mountain. While it wouldn't hurt for long, it wouldn't be pleasant and trying to climb back to the path would be difficult on the sheer face. They didn't talk much. Occasionally, Klaus would point out some type of tree or bush, or an unusual bird they came upon. He seemed very familiar with this area.

They finally reached the bottom and Caroline breathed a sigh of relief. A nature lover, she was not. Klaus turned and gave her a knowing grin at her sigh when the ground leveled out.

"Right this way." He gestured for her to go in front of him. She could hear a faint roar up ahead of her and followed the path cautiously. The roaring noise got progressively louder.

Finally the trees gave way to a large pool of water, across it she could see water pouring in to the pool. Her eyes followed the waterfall up…and up….and up.

Her eyes widened and she gasped in delight. It was a huge waterfall, with several cascades and what she could only assume were pools as it dropped down the side of a mountain.

"Oh my god." She said.

"It's about a hundred and fifty feet tall." Klaus said coming up behind her.

"It's so amazing." She laughed. "This entire place is so amazing."

"It gets better." He assured her. He took off the pack, opened it and spread a small blanket out on the rock they were standing on. "Would you like a snack or a drink?" He offered motioning for her to sit down.

She sat down, but her eyes kept straying to the natural wonder in front of her. "I could stay here forever." She said quietly.

"We are about half way to our destination." He said.

"Half way?!" She asked alarmed, he smiled at her teasingly.

"Yes, halfway."

"It's already about five in the afternoon." She protested. Yes, this was beautiful, but she was not a fan of the hiking.

"It will be worth it." He stated. She tried to cover her discomfort with a smile. She could do this.

They ate for a bit and he told her some facts about the Indians who had lived in the area and some of the legends regarding the falls.

"…and of course." He was saying. "No waterfall is complete without the tale of a young Indian princess throwing herself off for true love."

"Really?" Caroline asked with a laugh.

"Yes, it's not true of course, but for all the legends, none of them are true. First of all, there are no Indian 'princesses', the tribes around here weren't set up that way. Second, if all of those legends were true, the Indians would have died out much earlier because there wouldn't be any young women left from all the suicides."

Caroline just giggled at his story.

"Are you ready to get started again?" He asked. She looked back at the waterfall, sad to be leaving.

"We'll come back again when its warmer out and you can swim down there."

"I'd really like that."

They both shared a smile, pleased that they had made tentative plans for the future.

~.~

Another hour and a half later, Caroline was trying hard to hide her irritation. They had continued on, only this time they were climbing up another mountain, even being a vampire, it was tough going. The late afternoon sun and the strenuous activity had Caroline sweating, which seemed to attract every insect on the mountain. She swatted at them with a growl and glared at Klaus' back in front of her. He seemed completely oblivious to her discomfort. She swatted again, angrily, the force of her motion caused her to stumble into a tree.

Klaus turned around and gave her a slightly concerned look. "Everything ok?" He asked lightly.

"NO!" She snapped, having enough. "This nature is ruining my enjoyment of nature!"

He laughed long and hard.

"It's not funny. I'm being eaten alive by these insects. Don't they realize I'm a vampire and I need the blood more than they do?"

"You could have just asked me for insect repellant." He said with a chuckle. She was actually doing quite well; Rebekah would have insisted they stopped about ten minutes in. "We are almost there, just a little bit further."

"You said that an hour ago!"

He took her hand and pulled her along. "Well, this time I'm telling the truth."

"You can be such an ass." She muttered, but he only laughed more.

They walked on for a little bit longer and the path did even out as the crested the mountain, but there was no view here and he showed no signs of stopping. The sun was beginning to dip low in the sky and Caroline wondered if he was planning on sleeping up here. She hoped not.

"What you are about to see, is something very few people have ever seen." He said quietly, all the humor gone from his voice, with a seriousness that convinced her of how important this was to him.

He pressed forward and the trees began to thin until the opened up into a small lake hidden in one of the upper valleys. The water was as still as glass and crystal clear.

"Wow." Was all Caroline could say. Yes, it was pretty, but so was the view from his deck, with a lot less work.

"Wait for it." He whispered. She gave him a confused look. Just then the sun fell below the mountains and the sky started to turn red with the sunset. The reflection of the sky turned the lake into a deep fiery red. Caroline watched as the color deepened, the glassy surface seemed like it was glowing red jewel. Just then there was a loud cry from above and Caroline watched in awe as a bald eagle streamed out of the sky and snatched a fish from the water before flying back up.

"No one knows how deep this lake is in the center or exactly where the underground spring that feeds it is. It's quite the natural wonder."

Completely struck by what was happening around her, Caroline moved closer to him and reached out and took his hand. She now could see why he brought her here. There was a rustling further down the bank from them and then a black bear emerged with a cub. The two of them began splashing in the water, obviously hunting for dinner. Caroline watched them close until a sound on the other side caught her attention. A large elk came out and bowed its head to get a drink.

"This lake is kind of like a haven for the animals here. They can come here to eat and drink and not worried about being disturbed."

"I feel like I'm in a Disney movie."

"I hope you aren't expecting them to break into song and dance." He joked.

They stood in silence as the red faded to pink, and more animals came to the edge of the water to feed and drink. She saw deer, a pair of hawks, a few bunnies hopped along the edge and farther down even a bobcat came out to drink.

The pink slowly faded to grey and then a fog began to roll across the water as the air cooled down.

Caroline turned to Klaus and just stared at him.

"What?" He finally asked. She leaned forward and kissed him lightly.

"Thank you so much for sharing this with me." She said as she pulled back. "This was something I would have never had the chance to experience if it wasn't for you and it's definitely a memory I'll keep forever. I'll even forgive you for the hike." She added in joking.

At her words he grabbed her and kissed her deeply. It felt so perfect and it only took a moment for her arms to slip around his neck to anchor him to her. His hands rested on her hips, she was pressed close to him. They kissed for several minutes before he pulled back.

"As much as I hate to stop this, we should head back."

Caroline sighed, as much from the disappointment of their separation as the thought of hiking another 5 hours back.

"I'd almost rather just sleep here."

"It's only a 20 minute walk back to the house from here." He motioned to the trail going off in the opposite direction. "We can follow the ridge line right back to the house. You can see the lights in the distance."

"So why did we have to walk five hours to get here?" She asked.

His only answer was a large grin.

"You really are just evil!" She grumbled.

It didn't take them long at all to make it back. Klaus' sight was better than hers in the dark and he led her carefully along the ridgeline. The silence was much heavier on the way back. Caroline's mind was going a mile a minute.

She acknowledged her disappointment that things hadn't progressed farther with them by the lake. Now as they walked back to the house, she found herself getting nervous. She wanted him. She had felt it before, but now she knew. She wanted him in a way that was almost painful. Since Prom, it felt like one long slow build up of desire and need. At this point, she just wanted to feel his hands on her naked skin. Yet, he hadn't pushed or even let things get too out of hand. She was grateful that he wasn't pushing her for sex and it only seemed to fuel her desire for him.

However, she found her desire for him wasn't just physical, she wanted more of him. She just _knew _there was something about this place that made Klaus bring her here. She wanted to know more, to understand what it was that he wanted her to experience, to understand what made this place special to him. She had to admit, it was worth the miserable hike, to see the things he had shown her. It made her feel so much closer to him, but she wanted more.

When they got back to the house, Caroline smiled and told him she was going to get a shower. He nodded his agreement and then she dashed off to get cleaned up.

~.~

Klaus had noticed the difference in the silence as they walked back. Instead of comfortable, it felt charged with something. He quickly unpacked the bag he had taken with him and went upstairs to get his own quick, cold shower. When he came back down he went straight for a glass of scotch before setting about lighting a fire. He concentrated fully on the arrangement of logs before him, refusing to allow himself to think of the naked blonde below him. If he could he would keep her here forever, he knew now, after this weekend, he never wanted to let her go.

He got the fire started and sat back on the couch staring into it, he wondered what the night would bring. He knew she wanted him as much as he wanted her. However, he had to admit he was a bit apprehensive. She already had him wrapped around her finger. He wasn't sure what level of devotion a physical encounter would bring.

An image flashed in his head of her underneath him, moving in time with him, fangs and veins out. He closed his eyes to get control. He was going to follow her lead, let her set the pace.

Klaus heard her come up the stairs and move into the kitchen. By her movements, he knew she was getting a bag of blood for dinner. He thought again of the image of her beneath him, but calmed his thoughts. He wasn't some high school boy to be taken down by his hormones. It was a testament to his desire for her that he was having so much trouble with his control.

He heard her rinse out her glass and then moved over to the couch. She looked down at him, her hair was still wet and she had on the thin tank top and shorts he had seen her in this morning. She stared at him a moment, studying him. He held his hand out to her and she smiled softly, she took his hand and curled up on the couch next to him. Unlike last night, she reclined against him with her head on his chest. Desire and contentment warred inside of him.

They stared into the fire for a while, he lightly stroked her arm. Caroline wanted so much to kiss him and felt her desire for him at his closeness, the pure masculine smell of him. But first, she needed to know.

"Klaus?"

"Yes, luv."

"Why did you bring me here?" Caroline asked him. She felt so content laying on the couch with his arms around her, it prompted her to ask the question that she had been wondering since they arrived.

"You needed to get away and I selfishly wanted to spend more time with you." He said with a light chuckle.

She tilted her head and looked at him seriously. "No, why did you bring me _here?_" She asked insistently. His throat felt dry at the way she was looking at him, no one stared at him like that, unafraid. It was as if she could see right through his walls and layers. The desire he felt began to abate with a feeling of being uncomfortable instead. "You are a thousand years old, I don't believe that you do anything without having several different reasons for it."

He stared at her for a moment more before speaking, she was right, but he wasn't about to tell her everything. He decided to go with the reason that directly related to her. "I promised you once a world filled with beauty. I thought if I could bring you here and show you amazing beauty in a place you would never expect, take you away from your comfort zone, and get you out doing something, like hiking that you don't enjoy, that it would be more impressive than showing you paintings in a museum." He grinned at her and ran the tip of his finger over her nose. "It's all part of my master plan to entice you to let me show you the world."

She nodded, but didn't respond like he thought she would. She made no comment on his offer, or his claims. "Klaus, where are we?" Her voice was light, almost as if she knew the question was not.

He inhaled sharply and looked away from her. She was too perceptive. Yes, it was one of the things that drew him to her, but at the same time, he didn't need her prying into his head, did he?

She laid her hand on his chest. "Klaus?" She prompted. He looked back at her and stared into her eyes, the words started coming out before he could even think further about it.

"After my mother turned us, after we became what we are, we couldn't stay in the settlement we were living. We left and eventually the five of us settled here for several decades. We learned more about what we were. It wasn't a particularly happy time, but it was one of the only times the five of us managed to exist with each other for that long. It was the beginning, the start of us becoming who we are. We relied on each other completely, we were a family."

She stared at him. "You built this house, hoping one day your family would be together again."

"Of course not." He scoffed. "Could you imagine what a disaster that would have been? I don't think the house would have survived."

"Probably not." She agreed. "But I've seen the other bedrooms, they are all simple, but so very different in style. The one I'm in is obviously for Rebekah. You built this house with the hope that maybe someday you could all be together and be a family again. You may not have thought it would ever happen, but you still hoped." She smiled up at him sadly. "I'm sorry Finn and Kol are gone."

He got up abruptly, not quite pushing her off him, and walked over to the windows, staring out into the black night. She was too close to him. Yes, he wanted to bring her here to show her this, but he never intended to let her in this far. He never thought she would be able to see so easily his hopes that he kept so carefully locked away.

He wanted her to see what he wanted her to see, not go looking deeper. He didn't want her in his head, in his heart. He had to be in control here, otherwise, she could have power over him. Power to hurt him. Now that she had the upper hand, he was debating about what to do. He could just kill her, get rid of the temptation; get rid of the problem clean and simple. Except….he couldn't, which was proof of how much power she already had over him, changing him. He would have to compel her to forget everything that happened here. He might have to hold her here a bit longer to get the vervain out of her system, but that would be an acceptable risk.

Caroline sat on the sofa watching him. She could see the tension in his back and form; she saw the way his hands were clenched at his sides. She also knew and furious as he was with her for figuring out what this house was, it was his fear that made him react like this. He was a very private person and he built his walls up over centuries of time. Somehow she had made him feel weak.

She stood up and approached him; she could see him tense even more at her approach. Maybe she should be afraid of him right now. His rage was so thick, it was almost a tangible presence, but she wasn't afraid of him. She truly believed he wouldn't ever hurt her.

She slipped to his side and moved herself between him and the window so she could look up at him. His jaw was clenched tight and he refused to look at her, staring outside. She knew that anything she said could make things worse, but she also knew that if she couldn't show him that he could trust her, then he would never let her in again, too afraid of being vulnerable.

She reached her hand up and lightly stroked his cheek. There was a slight tick as he fought to fight the urge to relax against her touch. She pressed herself against him and wrapped her other arm around him in a hug. For a long time nothing happened and then she heard him give a deep sigh and one of his hands wrapped around her waist pulling her in closer. She breathed deeply inhaling his scent.

Klaus had tried to keep his anger, to stick to his resolve to do away with the temptation in his arms, but with no concern at all for his anger she had come to him and wrapped herself around him. Against his will, he found his body relaxing as her scent surrounded him. She felt like home and as much as he wanted to remove her from him, he wanted her like this forever. He closed his eyes, as his emotions tried to overwhelm him, the fear, the hope, the loneliness, desire, all of them choking him into a physical reaction. He could feel his eyes burning behind his lids as he fought for his control back.

"Caroline" His voice was thick with the emotion. "Please, if this is a trick, a ploy, stop it now." She probably would never know how much that plea cost him. She pulled back slightly and he prepared himself for the cold dose of reality he was certain she was going to drop on him.

Then he felt her lips press lightly on one cheek, close to the corner of his mouth. "There is no trick." She whispered soothingly. She then kissed the other side. "There is no ploy." She whispered in the other ear. She kissed his lips, but pulled back when he moved to deepen the kiss. "I just want to know about you. Your hopes, your dreams. Relationships are a two way street, you know."

His eyes flew open and he stared at her. He knew she could see how glassy his were with the buildup of emotion, but as deep as he searched, he saw no guile in her eyes, no judgment at his weakness, just caring and concern for him. Everything came rushing forward and there was no thought, only instinct as he grabbed her tight and smashed his lips to hers. She responded to his passion immediately, he felt her arms around his neck holding him just as tight and her mouth opened to his onslaught. His hands found their way under her shirt and she whimpered at the contact.

He pulled back suddenly and the look of distress on her face when he did, would have pleased him, if he wasn't so desperate for her right now. He was almost panting with desire for her.

"Caroline, if you want me to stop, I need to know right now." He almost growled at her. At his words, her look of distress changed and her eyes deepened.

She didn't answer him with words, but before he could even process, her hands had left him and she had pulled her shirt up and over her head. She stood before him, topless, her eyes shining deep into his. He swore that she was glowing against the black backdrop behind her. He grabbed her to him and kissed her with everything he had.

Caroline felt everything fall away except Klaus. Her skin felt like it was on fire for him. She didn't even realize that he had moved them until she felt him laying her down on something soft, but even that didn't cause her to pull her lips away from his. She grabbed frantically at his shirt and pulled it up wanting to feel his skin against hers. She needed him in a way that she had never felt before. He pulled back long enough to let her pull the shirt up over his head and in that split second she thought she would die if he didn't get back to her. Then he was back pressed up against her, his skin against her and she couldn't even control the moan that came out. "Klaus" She gasped out. Her hands moved across his back, glorying in the feeling of his muscles moving under her hands.

He growled in response at her voice. He started kissing down her neck, wanting to hear more, it became his mission to have her screaming his name before this was done. She was so intoxicating and receptive, every move, touch and kiss she would whimper and move trying to get closer to him. He was drowning in her. He could smell how much she wanted him and it was all he could do to not just strip her and have her right now. He had always thought if she ever gave in to him he would torment her for hours until she was completely overwhelmed for him and would never look at him again without remembering how he had played her body. The reality was that his control was slipping rapidly and all he could do was make this as memorable for her as he could.

Caroline was going out of her mind. She didn't know how much more of this she could take. His lips seemed to know each and every sensitive spot on her neck that made just want to melt into him. Usually at this point with Tyler she was letting out moans that sounded like an adult film to encourage him so they could get through this faster, his groping and sloppy kisses felt more awkward than arousing. But here, with Klaus she couldn't even think, her control was completely stripped away and all she could think was 'more'.

He scraped his human teeth down her neck and she responded by dragging her nails up his back, not even away of the ruts she left behind. She heard him growl and swore she could feel the vibrations in her sex. He moved his head lower and sucked hard on one of her nipples. She ran her hands through his hair and bucked up against him. "Please Klaus." She cried. "I need…" He bit down and then moved to the other nipple and repeated the action. She grabbed his shoulders and urged him back up, kissing him hard and tangling her tongue with his. She didn't need anymore foreplay, she just needed him. She moved her hands to the waist of the drawstring pants he was wearing and pushed them down over his hips. She could feel how hard he was for her and she ran her hands up his length, admiring his size. At her actions he pulled back and knelt before her. He removed the pants the rest of the way, staring down at the beauty before him. Her eyes darkened as she returned his stare, then raked down taking in his naked form. She flashed up on to her knees and ran her hands over his chest, her mouth was sucking lightly at his neck. He fought for control, suddenly wanting to sink his fangs into her neck. He pushed her back and grabbed the small shorts she was still wearing, ripping them from her body. In a heartbeat, she was back on the bed with him pressed up against her. For a moment time stopped as he stared down at her.

"Please Klaus, I need to feel you." She whispered desperately.

That was all it took, he lined himself up and tried to take it slow, but at the first feel of how wet she was for him when he barely had even touched her had him bucking his hips into her warmth. She didn't seem to mind given the long moan she let out that might have been his name, but he couldn't be sure.

He immediately set a steady rhythm unable to keep still. She felt too good and he just hoped he could hold off for a bit and not embarrass himself.

For Caroline, everything was just instinct. She could feel him inside her, stretching and pulsing. The pleasure just kept growing and growing. Everytime she thought it was about to crest, it would build up some more until she felt like she was on fire. She could feel his breath on her neck and every movement sent more electricity through her. If she could think, she would have been afraid of the build up the pressure and the pleasure running through her. Nothing before had ever even come close to this.

"Caroline, you feel so good luv." He muttered in her.

"Klaus." She whimpered, begging him.

"I can't…" he panted in her ear and bucked his hips harder. He wasn't going to last, he couldn't she felt to sweet.

"Oh god." She threw back her head, she wasn't aware that her fangs had dropped and the veins were out in her eyes. Finally her body couldn't take anymore, he nails clawed into his back as everything went white and her body exploded in pleasure, she let out a crying moan as the wave finally broked.

When she cried out and pulsed around him, he felt her nails break his skin and he let himself fall over the edge with her. He growled out her name and clutched her tight as he emptied into her. It felt like he came for several minutes, her inner muscles pulling everything out of him.

When he finally came down from his high he attempted to shift off of her in case he was crushing her with his weight, but she held him tight, unwilling to let him go just yet. They were covered in a coating of sweat and her skin was extremely sensitive, but she needed to feel him pressed up against her. She ran her hand across his temple, pushing his hair out of the way and placed a light kiss there. He sighed and nuzzled against her, enjoying her soft body close to him. He tilted his head up and kissed her, she sighed into him as his lips touched hers. They continued on kissing gently in contrast of the passion they were just taken with. He ran her hands across her skin, holding her close and still needing more of her.

Even though she just had the best orgasm of her life and she was sated, Caroline felt herself coming alive again at the softness of his caresses and kisses. He kissed across her cheek and bit down on her earlobe.

"You are amazing." He whispered. "In a thousand years, no one has made me lose such control before."

"I've never felt anything like that before." She whispered back.

He kissed her again deeply and even though he just came he felt himself stirring again inside of her. He pulled back and met her eyes, almost as if to question. She moved her hips slightly in answer.

This time, they moved together slowly, he stared down into her eyes the whole time, watching her face closely as she reacted to his movements. He could tell by her expression just how to move and how to angle. The buildup was slow this time, but no less forceful as they moved together, in perfect sync. Once again Caroline found herself being swept away with pleasure, even though the actions were slower, it was even more intense staring into his eyes, watching the pleasure and need washing over him, seemed to make hers that much stronger. This time when the wave broke, his name on her lips, she knew without a doubt that no one would ever be able to make her feel like this again.

They curled up around each other, still unwilling to lose the contact and feel of each other's skin.

She could feel the heaviness on her eyelids as her body relaxed completely in his arms.

"Well, it's official." She murmured sleepily.

"What's that?" He asked quietly.

"You are pure evil and you have ruined me for anyone else."

"I'm surprisingly ok with that." He answered.

They both drifted off in a pleasant slumber.

~.~

Caroline opened her eyes a few hours later, a sigh of contentment on her lips. She could still feel Klaus' arms tight against her; as if he were afraid she would disappear. She noticed for the first time, they had made it to his bedroom. Up here, the windows faced the opposite direction as the great room and she could see the mountains out front of the house. She lay there with her head on his chest watching light slowly filter back into the world. She heard the first bird wake and start to call about 5:30.

Just like last night, the grey turned to a light pink and then deepened into a red, then orange and then there mountains were washed in a bright white light as the sun rose in the sky. She watched the changes of light as they played across her sleeping companion. Occasionally, she would lightly stroke his arm or chest enjoying the way he murmured in his sleep contently at her touches.

It wasn't long after the sun rose that she felt him begin to stir. For a moment she worried that he would regret what happened last night, but the way he hugged her as soon as he rose towards consciousness drove away that fear.

"Morning, luv." His voice rough with sleep was her new favorite sound, she realized.

"Morning." She looked up at him with a smile. "Did you sleep ok?"

"I slept excellent. And you?"

She nodded.

"Then why are you awake so early?"

"The sunrise was too pretty to sleep through."

"Mmmmm." He agreed.

"What time do we have to leave to get back?" She asked quietly.

His grip on her relaxed and she felt him tense beneath her.

"Are you in a hurry to get back?"

"Actually, it's the opposite. I wish we could just stay here. I'm not sure I'm ready to go back and face the world of Mystic Falls."

He seemed to relax at her words. "That is an option. We can stay here as long as you want."

She sighed. "It's not really though. I need to get back. I can't leave them with everything going on."

He wanted to argue with her, but knew she would not be persuaded.

"We can come back whenever you want." He assured her.

She smiled against his chest. "That's good, because I think this is going to be my new favorite place."

They lay there for a while longer. Eventually, he sighed at the thought of having to go back today.

"Don't you sigh at me in that tone of voice, Mister." Caroline told him.

"Oh really?" He laughed. "We spend one night together and you are telling how I'm allowed to sigh now?"

She giggled. She really did enjoy his laugh; it was going to be her goal to make sure he did it much more often.

"That's right." She said primly. "Someone has to keep you in line."

"And how do you propose to 'keep me in line', sweetheart?"

She rolled over and sat up on his upper thighs; she looked down at him and licked her lips slowly. "I'm sure I could come up with..." She ran her hands over his chest. "….something."

"I'm not sure I believe that." He said trying to sound unaffected.

"Oh well. Guess you're right." She said as she climbed out of bed.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"To get some blood. I'm hungry." She looked at her torn shorts on the floor. "Do you have a shirt I could borrow?"

"Oh, I don't think so." He stated. "If you are going to insist on leaving the bed, then I'm going to have to insist that you not wear clothes."

He saw her turn bright red and given her lack of clothes, he saw how much of her turned bright red. He climbed out of bed and put his arms around her pulling her back against him. "There is no one around here for miles. No one but the two of us." He whispered in her ear.

She turned around in his arms. "Why Mr. Mikaelson, I do believe you are a bad influence on me!" He grinned at her wolfishly and leaned down to kiss her.

"Uh Uh Uh!" She stopped him with a hand on his chest. "Food first." With that she walked away from him, leaving him to groan in disappointment. He swore she swung her hips just a little bit more as she walked away from him. She looked back at him with a smile. "Are you coming?"

"Hopefully soon." He muttered.

Her laugh came back at him and he found a more relaxed smile cross his face at the sound. He followed after the noise.

~.~

It was about 7pm and Caroline just finished zipping her bag, to go home. She knew they had to leave, it was time to face reality, but she just didn't want to. Today had been wonderful. At first she had been a bit nervous about running around naked all day but she soon relaxed. Once she had relaxed, she realized there were many layers with being naked with someone, things that didn't have to do with sex. Not that they didn't have lots of sex, on the deck, in the hot tub, on the kitchen counter, in his shower, on the leather couch. They never did make it down to the bath tub in her room. It was in between the bouts of wonderful sex that she realized how close she felt to him. Laying outside in the sun, without a stitch of clothing on, she found she could talk to him about almost anything. She remember playing with one of the necklaces he always wore, feeling the sun warming her back, she told him some of the more silly of her childhood tales, furthering her quest to make him laugh more often. She was rewarded with success and she knew she was falling hard for him.

She heard him enter the bedroom behind her, he hugged her from behind. "I really don't like the fact that you are wearing clothes again." He stated.

"Yes, well I'm not having you distracted while driving down the mountain." She didn't even have to turn around to see to know he was pouting. "I promise as soon as we get home, I'll be naked again."

"Well that is one thing to look forward to going back to Mystic Falls for."

She sighed.

"Are you sure you are ready to go back?" He asked her, pressing a kiss to her hair.

"No, I'm not ready, but that doesn't mean we can stay."

"Are you worried about what your friends will say?" He asked hesitantly.

"Oh, I'm sure they'll be all upset I wasn't around for them to ask favors from or to help with whatever they needed while we were gone."

"I meant are you worried about what they are going to say about us?" He asked.

She didn't answer right away. "Or are you not planning on telling them?"

She turned and looked at him confused. "Of course I'll tell them. Why wouldn't I?"

"I'm not exactly their favorite person, they will not be happy."

Caroline still looked at him confused. Why would they be unhappy? What did they have against him?

"Ahh!" She gasped.

"Caroline!" He grabbed her as she sunk back to the bed. "Are you all right?" He was very concerned.

"I'm fine. Its just headache." She took a few deep breaths. "Its probably some kind of tension headache with the thought of going back."

"Are you certain?" He asked her. She smiled at his obvious worry, he really was so wonderful to her.

"Its fading already. I'll be fine." She swallowed and fought the remaining dizziness the headache brought.

"Sit for a moment. I'll take your bag to the car."

After he left, Caroline looked out the window of her bedroom. When he returned she looked up at him. "Promise we can come back soon?"

"I promise."

"Then I guess I'm ready to go back." She stood and looked at him. "My mom usually works the night shift on Sunday nights. Would you stay with me when we get back? I'm not really ready to sleep without you yet."

"I think we can work that out. I wasn't look forward to being separated from you either."

"Let's go home." She said, taking his hand and looking out over the mountains and around the bedroom one last time. "Thank you again for sharing all of this with me."

"It made me so happy to share it."

She turned out the light and they headed back to Mystic Falls.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Monday morning found Caroline humming slightly while she applied her make up in her vanity mirror. There was a pouting Original behind her sitting on her bed.

"You are awfully chipper about going to school this morning." He complained. She smiled at him in the mirror.

"No, I'm awfully chipper because I just had a wonderful weekend and I'm not going to let Mystic Falls get me down first thing this morning."

She turned and walked over to him, putting her hands on his shoulders. "And you can keep yourself occupied and out of trouble until I get out of school, can't you?" She teased.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his head against her chest, looking up at her with an evil glint. "Or you could skip school and we could go back to my place."

She sighed and pushed him away. "I'm going to school. It's only a few weeks more until graduation and I'm going to graduate."

"You are so stubborn."

"Pot, Kettle." She answered, picking up her bag and her keys.

"I'll drive you." He offered.

She turned and arched an eyebrow at him. "I don't think so."

"Why not?"

"Where are you planning on driving me to?"

He glared at her a moment. "Why to the place of higher learning, where else?" He said sarcastically.

"Well, all right then." She turned to walk out of the room. "Hurry up; I'm going to be late."

The truth was Klaus was very uncomfortable about letting her out of his sight. He was concerned about what her friends would say about what happened this weekend and he really didn't think Caroline would be too pleased if he killed them for trying to drive a wedge between them.

He sighed and followed her out to his car. When they got in the car she was looking at her cell phone ominously.

"Guess it's time to turn it back on." She said with a weak smile.

No sooner than she did, it lit up with message and text indications. This went on for several moments while they stared at it.

Klaus started the car. "Well, at least you know they missed you." He said sourly.

She pushed some buttons and started listening to the voice mails first. Stefan wondering where she was. Matt, wondering where she was. Damon, demanding she get her butt to the boarding house. Stefan, making sure she was ok. Matt, worried about her. Damon telling her she was being selfish. She began deleting them as soon as she heard who each message was from. They were on the road heading to school by now and she wanted to get through the messages before she got there.

The next message made her scoff. "Oh you have got to be kidding me."

Klaus looked at her.

"Tyler came back to town." She saw Klaus grip the steering wheel tightly as she continued to listen to the message; she felt a pounding begin in her temples. She put the phone down after deleting it and explained. "He came back wanting to dance with me on prom night." She rubbed her head. Then glanced at Klaus realizing he probably didn't want to hear about her ex. She probably needed to reassure him.

"He's gone now. I can't believe he would do something like that." She said angrily, the pressure in her head getting worse. "I mean he chose to leave town after his mother died. And yes, I feel bad that she's gone, but still, she got drunk, fell and hit her head in a fountain. I mean c'mon." This headache was starting to make her feel nauseous. She was relieved when she felt Klaus pull the car over quickly.

"What did you just say?" He demanded.

She kept rubbing at her head distracted. "Don't worry; I'm over Tyler anymore, especially after…"

"NO, what did you say about Tyler's mother?" He snapped.

She looked at him alarmed, but her vision was starting to blue. "She…" There was another sharp pain. "She died, you know that."

"HOW did she die, Caroline?"

Her breathing picked up and she almost started crying from the pain. "She got drunk at the Christmas party, fell, and hit her head in the fountain and died."

Klaus grabbed her arm and her chin. "Caroline, look at me."

"It hurts." She cried, looking at him.

"Ok" He said taking a deep breath. Anyone else would think he was furious, but she could see that was worried and possibly even scared. "School has to wait, sweetheart. We have to get to the bottom of this."

"Bottom of what?" She asked weakly.

He started the car and quickly turned around and pealed out in the middle of the street.

"Klaus?" She asked. "What's wrong? Why do I keep having these headaches?"

He didn't look at her. "I'm not sure, but I have an idea. We're going to talk to you friends the Salvatores." He practically spit the word friends out.

Caroline took a few deep breaths. She was confused, but the pain in her head finally started dissipating for which she was grateful. She had to admit that seeing Klaus this concerned made her very concerned about what was going on. She could see how tense he was; she reached out her hand and touched his arm.

He glanced over at her and could see the worry in her eyes. He took one hand from the steering wheel and grasped hers. He pulled it to his lips and kissed the back of her hand.

"It's going to be all right." He assured her. "I promise you will be all right." She nodded at him, feeling better. Whatever was wrong with her, he would fix it; there wasn't much you couldn't do when you got to be a thousand years old.

Klaus drove as fast as the car would allow heading to the Salvatore's. Worry, fear and rage threatened to overwhelm him. She didn't remember that he killed Carol. She didn't remember that he made Tyler leave town. Who did this? AND WHY?

It was obvious the memories were still in there and this wasn't a simple case of compulsion, this reeked of magic.

He screeched to a halt in front of the boarding house and was at the front door before Caroline even got out of the car. He pounded on the door loudly before going inside. Damon was in the living room.

"Oh goody, a drop in vis…." Was all Damon got out before he was slammed against a wall with Klaus' hand on his throat.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" Klaus bellowed at him.

Damon's eyes widened in fear. They had pushed him many times since he came to Mystic Falls, but he'd never seen the hybrid this out of control before.

"I don't know what you're talking…" Damon tried to wheeze out, and then gasped in pain.

Klaus' other hand was suddenly inside his chest. "I will rip your heart out right now if you don't tell me what you did to her." Klaus growled at him.

Just then Caroline ran into the room. "KLAUS!? What are you doing? Stop."

"Caroline?" Stefan came running at the commotion, and immediately saw Klaus and Damon. "Klaus, what's going on?"

"That's what I'm trying to find out."

Caroline ran over to him. "Please don't do this." She begged.

"Caroline, luv, why don't you tell Stefan what happened to Carol Lockwood?" She looked at him confused, and felt the pounding in her temples start again.

"I don't understand." She said rubbing at her head.

"Tell Stefan, how Carol died."

"I know how Carol died, Klaus. What does that have to do with you trying to kill my brother?"

"Tell him." Klaus growled.

Caroline stepped back feeling dizzy from the headache. "Carol got drunk at the Christmas Party and fell in the fountain, hitting her head and then she drowned." Caroline shook her head trying to clear it.

"What happened then?" Klaus insisted.

"Tyler couldn't deal with being alone…ugh… so he left town." She groaned.

"Caroline?" Stefan looked at her with concern. The fact that his brother was in danger of being torn in two, but he was looking at her like that made Caroline's fears come back.

"What?" She cried out through the pain. "What is wrong?"

"Yes, Stefan, what is wrong?" Klaus' grip on Damon's heart tightened. "Some new plan of yours? Wipe her memories and send her in to find my weaknesses?"

"Klaus, we didn't do this." Stefan said earnestly. He walked over to Caroline and led her to sit down on the couch.

"Wish…we…had." Damon grunted out through the pain, then yelled as Klaus tightened his fist even more.

"Klaus, stop!" Stefan said. "This isn't us. We've been too worried about Silas and Elena to come after you."

Klaus considered his words for a moment. "Where is the Bennett witch?" He asked.

"Probably on her way to school." Stefan said. Klaus let go of Damon who slid down to the floor.

"Find her, get her here now. This has her magic written all over it."

Stefan immediately opened his cell phone and started making calls.

"Well, I'm glad that's settled." Damon muttered from the floor.

Caroline sat on the couch, Klaus turned to her, she looked angry and frightened.

"What is going on?" She demanded. "You almost killed Damon."

Klaus knelt down in front of her. "If he had been behind this, I would have."

Caroline reached out and stroked his hair lightly. "Behind what?"

"Someone has changed your memories, luv."

"My memories? What memories?"

Klaus sighed. "Your memories of me."

"Who would do that? Why would they do that?"

He shook his head and didn't answer.

"Bonnie isn't answering her phone." Stefan spoke up. "I left a message on her phone and on Matt's." He walked back over to the sofa. "Caroline, are you all right?"

She nodded, looking up at him with a sad smile, but never stopped stroking Klaus' hair Stefan noticed. "I'm ok, the headaches don't last too long."

"I'm fine too." Damon said from the floor. "In case you were wondering."

They all ignored him.

"When do you think this happened?" Stefan asked.

Klaus' jaw tensed. "If I had to wager, I'd say prom night."

"So before the two of you disappeared for two days." Damon said from behind them.

"Stefan, if you want your brother to keep living, I suggest you shut him up." Klaus growled.

"What aren't I remembering?" Caroline asked. "I don't understand this."

Stefan sat on the sofa next to her. "Caroline, what do you remember about when Elena's aunt died?" Stefan asked cautiously.

Immediately the headache started back. She sat back and felt Klaus grab her hands while she remembered. "She died in the woods. I think it was an accident." Her face was tightening from the pain. She didn't notice Klaus and Stefan exchange a look.

"What about your wolf bites, sweetheart?" Klaus asked.

She was breathing heavily now. "Tyler. Tyler bit me."

"The second time?" Klaus prompted.

"He bit me!" She yelled. "You were there, Kol had died and…." She struggled.

"That would actually be your new boyfriend, Barbie." Damon had stood up and was standing behind Klaus. "He killed Jenna, he killed Carol…."

Caroline could hear what Damon was saying, but it sounded so muffled, her ears were ringing with the pain and it felt like there was a fire behind her eyes.

"He had Tyler bite you the first time AFTER he sired him to become a hybrid."

Caroline let out a scream of pain. Blood started pouring out of her ears and nose and she started convulsing.

"Caroline!" Stefan shouted. She collapsed against the couch.

Damon jumped back in shock.

Stefan and Klaus laid her down on the sofa.

Klaus spun to glare at Damon. "FIND THE BENNETT WITCH NOW!" He screamed.

"Go Damon!" Stefan urged. Damon flashed out of the house.

"Caroline, luv, listen to me," Klaus urged. "Think of something else. Remember the lake, with the animals." He said quietly. Her convulsions settled and she lay there whimpering.

"We should take her upstairs to lie down." Stefan said quietly.

He watched Klaus gently pick her up and noticed the way he hugged her to him.

They took her to a bedroom upstairs, where Klaus laid her on the bed. Stefan flashed off to get her a cool cloth to wipe her face. He handed it to Klaus when the older vampire shot him a glare when he went to do it. He watched him gently wipe away the blood.

"I knew there was something that wasn't right on prom night." Stefan said quietly, but I was too caught up with Elena."

"A common occurrence, I believe." Klaus said coldly.

Stefan watched him for a moment. "You really care about her." He stated.

Klaus didn't answer him.

"What happened this weekend?" Stefan asked almost accusing.

Klaus again didn't answer.

"I mean you were with her for two days, you didn't notice anything was wrong?" Stefan's tone got sharper.

"The whole point of this weekend was to get her away from all this, so no, we didn't sit around discussing you and the wonderful Elena." Klaus growled.

"And you didn't even wonder or ask what brought about her change in attitude towards you?" Stefan almost yelled. "You took advantage of her."

Klaus was away from Caroline and standing before Stefan in a heartbeat. "I did no such thing." He growled. "SHE wanted to go away, I didn't force her. I didn't cast this spell that she's under."

Stefan had spent the most time with him, back in the 20's and just recently. It was only because of that, he could see the worry in his eyes, and he knew that Klaus had already had the same thought. He really did care about her. It was the same as Damon not wanting to realize Elena was sired to him. The look of understanding that crossed Stefan's face made Klaus feel even worse. He turned away and tried to defend his actions.

"We were working on being friends." He said quietly. "She helped me when Silas…." He didn't finish that thought, no wanting Stefan to know how weak he had been if Caroline hadn't told him. "She came over the night of prom, full of fire, looking for a dress. She didn't mention Tyler or any of the other things we usually fight about, and then she called me and asked me to be her escort. I thought…." He sighed and ran a hand over his face. "I should have known." He finished quietly.

"Sometimes, we see what we want to see." Stefan said quietly.

On the bed Caroline began to stir and moaned. "Klaus." She whispered. He was by her side instantly.

"Easy, luv." He cautioned her, when she tried to sit up.

"What happened?" She asked.

"It's ok, just relax." She looked around and saw Stefan and suddenly remembered. She thought about all the things they asked her about and her head immediately started to pound.

"Caroline, don't think about it." Klaus urged her.

"I have to. I have to remember so you aren't worried and Stefan won't be so mad." She whimpered.

"No." He insisted. "You are only hurting yourself. We'll set this right as soon as your friend, Bonnie, gets here."

Klaus stroked her hair lightly, while Caroline stared up at him with absolute trust in her eyes.

"Think about graduation. What are you going to do afterwards?" Klaus asked.

Stefan watched them for a moment then left the room feeling as though he was intruding on their closeness. He needed to check on Elena anyway.

Back in the room, Klaus continued to stroke Caroline's hair.

"I guess you were right." She said quietly.

"About what?"

"That we shouldn't have come back."

"Sweetheart, I'm sure as soon as they find Bonnie, you will be fine. There is nothing to worry about. You just have not think about it."

Caroline looked at him with that piercing gaze only she seemed to possess. "Will _we_ be all right?" She questioned him.

He stared at the beautiful woman before him, the woman who managed to slip past his defenses and walls so easily. He felt his assurances catch in his throat.

"That will be up to you, sweetheart." He finally answered.

Tears gathered in her eyes. "It can't be that bad, can it?" She whispered.

He didn't answer her. Her mind raced trying to remember, she sat up when the pain returned, sharp as a knife.

"STOP!" He yelled. He sat behind her on the bed and pulled her back against him. "Caroline you have to stop, we don't know what it's doing to you to cause this type of reaction."

"Have you met me?" She said with gritted teeth. "I can't just lay here like some Scarlett O'Hara waiting to be saved and have our relationship ripped apart."

He closed his eyes, savoring her closeness. "Patience. It's all going to be ok; you just have to be patient."

He felt her tense and knew she wasn't listening to him.

"If you don't stop, I will find another way to distract you." He threatened.

She scoffed. "Distract me from someone messing with my mind? I don't think so."

She felt him pull her hair to the side and then felt soft lips along her neck.

"That is not going to work." His hands slipped under her shirt and started sliding across her stomach, noticing the way she leaned back against him and her breathing got heavier.

He found the spot on her neck that he discovered was most sensitive and ran his tongue along it. He felt and heard her breath hitch. She spun around so she was straddling his lap while he leaned against the head board.

"I'm sorry, was I distracting you?" He said with a smirk.

"Shut up." She said with a smile. "You are just evil."

Then she kissed him deep. He fisted one hand in her hair and the other held her tight across her back making sure she was as tight against him as he could get her. His tongue tangled with hers and he kissed her desperately trying to imprint himself on her before she got her memories back.

She pulled back, breathless; her eyes were glazed over from desire. "We can't have sex in Stefan's room."

"I think it's a spare room." He muttered. He placed sucking kisses up her throat.

"Well, we can't have sex here either." She persisted, all the while her hands moved to the hem of his shirt, desperately trying to feel the smooth skin underneath.

"Oh, I'm quite certain we can." He whispered. He bit down on her throat with blunt teeth and enjoyed the way she bucked against him, a small whimper escaped her. For a second his fangs threatened to drop at the sound. He had fed off victims numerous times, but never engaged in biting during sex with another vampire. It was a level of intimacy he wasn't comfortable sharing with anyone, but with Caroline, it seemed his nature had other ideas since every time they had sex he had to fight not to mark her.

She leaned back and pulled his shirt up over his head, he did the same to her. His eyes lit up at the bright yellow bra she wore and he ran kisses right along the top where it met her skin. He hands tangled in his hair holding him there, wanting him to move lower.

"Damon found Bonnie. They are on their…OH" Stefan's voice interrupted them.

Klaus growled as Caroline flashed behind him, hiding her partial nudity. Stefan glared at Klaus accusingly, unafraid.

"They are on their way." Stefan finished, the anger in his voice was unmistakable.

"Thanks Stefan." Caroline's voice was embarrassed.

"I was distracting her." Klaus said with an evil grin, challenging the judgment he saw in Stefan's eyes.

"I'll let you put yourselves together. They'll be here in a minute." Stefan turned and walked out of the room, slamming the door.

"That was so embarrassing." Caroline muttered. She rested her head on his shoulder and wrapped her hands around his waist in a hug before moving to put her shirt back on.

She stood up and saw Klaus staring at her as if he would never see her again.

"You said it was going to be ok." She said, smiling at him.

He pulled her close and hugged her to him. "Promise me this one thing."

"No, this isn't goodbye." She insisted.

"Just this one thing." He said again.

"What?" She couldn't deny him.

"Whatever happens, when you think back on this weekend, think of it fondly, please?" He whispered.

She put a finger under his chin and raised it so he was looking at her. "This was the best weekend of my life." She said earnestly and leaned down to kiss him lightly. "And after this is all over we are going to plan on going back there soon."

He nodded, but she noticed he didn't seem convinced.

He pulled his shirt on and she took his hand as they went downstairs.

The tension and silence was thick as they waited for Damon and Bonnie to arrive. Stefan kept shooting glares at Klaus, who seemed to retreat into himself. He sat at the end of the couch, with a glass of scotch in his hand; his face seemed to be set in a mask.

Caroline was nervous and it was all she could do not to poke at the memories in her head and try to understand all the currents running through the room.

Just then the door opened. Damon, a very angry looking Bonnie and Matt filed in.

"Boy Wonder here had to follow behind." Damon said derisively, pointing at Matt.

"You said something was wrong with Caroline." Matt said defensively.

Klaus glared at the boy's obvious concern for her, but turned his anger to Bonnie.

"If it isn't the Good Witch. Care to share with the class exactly what you've been up to?"

"This isn't my fault Klaus. Caroline did this on her own."

"Really? She chose to alter her own memories? This isn't your Expression Magic?"

"It's my magic, but it was her choice." Bonnie said with acid.

"What was my choice?" Caroline demanded.

Bonnie shook her head at her in disgust.

"Can you remove the spell, Bonnie?" Stefan asked before things could escalate.

"Yes, easily. It wasn't a complex spell." She looked at Klaus. "You may want to move." She snapped.

He stood up and fought with himself against looking at Caroline one more time. He crossed the room and looked out the windows.

He heard Bonnie beginning to mutter and a wind blew through the room. The lights brightened and a few bulbs shattered. He heard Caroline cry out and against his will, he looked at her. She crumpled to the ground crying out in pain.

He heard Bonnie chuckle sounding very dark. "She's fighting me; part of her doesn't want to remember." He wanted to break the witch's neck, his hand tightened on the glass. On the ground, blood started pouring out of Caroline's nose and she almost howled in pain.

"Bonnie, you're killing her."

"No, I'm not." The witch said through gritted teeth. "I'm breaking down the walls she put up." There was an increased energy in the room, the rest of the bulbs blew and then it all faded away.

Caroline lay on the floor whimpering and crying. Stefan and Matt raced to her side. Klaus looked back out the window, unable to watch what would come next and yet unable to leave.

For several minutes, the only sounds were Caroline's harsh breathing and Matt and Stefan asking if she was ok.

Then everything got quiet. Klaus looked over and saw Caroline glaring up at Bonnie hatefully.

"You did this to me." She said, her voice was thick.

"You did this to yourself." Bonnie snapped.

In a flash Caroline was up and across the room, there was a solid crack as she slapped Bonnie across the face. "You messed with my mind, my memories! You are no better than Damon, when he compelled me to sleep with him."

"Hey." Damon protested. "Bygones!"

Klaus felt something inside him break. She would think as low of him that he used her the same way Damon did. That was how she would remember their time together.

Bonnie used her power and threw Caroline back.

"You did this to yourself!" She yelled at her.

Caroline lay on the floor breathing heavily. Klaus still wouldn't look away from the window.

"Everybody just calm down." Stefan yelled.

"Caroline, are you ok?" Matt asked for the twentieth time. Klaus felt the urge to rip out his vocal chords.

Caroline looked around the room. He could feel it physically when her eyes landed on him. She didn't speak for several moments.

Stefan was the closest to her and he could see all the emotions on her face and his heart broke for her. She cared for Klaus, he could see it. Probably as much as Klaus cared for her, but now that she remembered he could see the fear, guilt and regret there too.

"I need some time." She said and it was obvious to everyone who she was talking to. "I need…." She didn't know what she needed. "I need some time." She said again.

Finally Klaus turned to face her. There was a cold, mocking grin on his face. Stefan braced himself for what would happen next. A vulnerable and hurt Klaus was the most dangerous.

"I hope you aren't worried about me, luv." He said. "I already got what I wanted." His grin widened. "Several times over, if you remember."

Caroline swallowed and her breath hitched. Klaus turned to walk out of the room, but stopped by Bonnie.

"Remind me to send you a fruit basket as a thank you, witch." And with that he left, they heard the front door open and close.

Stefan could feel Caroline begin to shake.

"I want to go home." She whispered.

"Do you want to talk?" He asked her.

She just shook her head. "No, I want to go home."

"I'll take her." Matt offered and helped her get up off the floor. Caroline moved slowly with him. She didn't say goodbye or look up at anyone as the left.

After they were gone, Stefan looked at Bonnie. "What were you thinking?" He demanded.

"For the last time, I didn't do this!" Bonnie snapped.

"Hear her out brother." Damon said pouring himself a drink.

Stefan looked at Bonnie for an explanation.

"Prom night we wanted a drama free night, just one. I cast a simple spell for Caroline to get her heart's wish, thinking the only thing on her mind would be a perfect prom. Instead, it appears she wished to forget all the bad stuff Klaus has done." She finished bitterly.

Stefan sighed. "So she wanted to forget."

"Yeah." Bonnie agreed. "And she's the one who built the walls in her own mind. Part of her didn't want to remember, that's why it was so hard for me to reverse the spell and break down the walls."

"She really cares about him and this was the only way she could let herself care."

"Barbie really does know how to choose 'em." Damon said taking a drink.

"Yeah, but now we have to worry about a hurt Klaus on the loose. We have no idea what he'll do next. You could be in danger Bonnie." He held a hand up when she went to protest again. "I understand that Caroline was the one who made the wish, but you were the one who cast a spell on your friend without her knowing."

"Oh, I wouldn't be too worried about Klaus if I were you." A voice called out into the room. Katherine stepped into the room.

"Oh goody, more company." Damon snapped. "We really need to see about getting better locks."

~.~

Caroline was silent the entire way home. Matt respected her wished and didn't say anything. He brought the truck to a halt in front of her house. She moved like a robot to get out of the vehicle.

"Care." She stopped at the sound of his voice and Matt found he didn't know what to say. "Can I do anything?"

"No." She said her voice very monotone. "I'll be fine, Matt. I'm always fine." She got out of the car and he watched her make her way into the house. For several long moments he sat there, wishing he could do something to take her pain away.

Caroline walked into her house and straight to her bedroom. She knew her mom would be sleeping after working all night.

She lay down on her bed and grabbed one of the pillows hugging it to her tightly. The bed smelled of sex and of him. She lay there breathing in his scent, a reminder of the night they had just had, six hours ago. Her body began to shake violently and suddenly she was crying, sobbing. It wasn't quiet tears of loss; it was full body sobs that had her bawling into her pillow. There she lay for hours as the pain, guilt and hurt washed over her.

After an hour, Caroline's sobs finally began to taper off and she fell into a fitful sleep. It was filled with dreams of passion and love and a fiery red lake.

~.~

Klaus drove back to his house, plotting the entire way. He was going to kill that witch. He was going to rip her apart, but first he was going to find another witch to strip her of her powers. Then the Salvatores would be next. He would kill their precious Elena while they watched, then he would tear their limbs off and make them suffer for decades. The human boy would be next, he wouldn't draw that out, it would be too easy. Then Caroline, he would remove her from his head and his heart by removing her head and heart.

Over and over his rage built and he planned their destruction. He made it to the house, hoping his sibling weren't there or he would dagger both of them, just to keep from hearing their voices. He walked in the house and took a deep breath. Then he set about destroying everything inside. Furniture flew and shattered against the walls, paintings were ripped to shreds. Everything disintegrated under his hands, a true metaphor for his existence.

He stopped suddenly near the drink service. A piece of paper addressed to him, caught his eye.

He picked it up and read it.

He stood amidst the destruction for a moment and then walked quickly from the room. Maybe it was time to follow his own advice. It was time for him to leave Mystic Falls and all of this behind him.

It was time to go home, to New Orleans.

~.~

"How long have you been here, Katherine?" Stefan asked.

"Long enough to watch the show." She said with a snide smile. "Looks like Klaus is capable of feelings after all. He was so distracted with my baby vamp that he never even sensed me under the same roof." She gloated. She walked over and poured herself a drink.

"Wow, look who went and got bold." Damon said. "Last I checked Klaus was still plotting your eternal demise."

"Well, it won't matter for very long." She said, "Because soon Klaus will be gone."

"What do you mean he'll be gone?" Stefan asked.

"Let's just say that werewolf girl Hayley was just the thing we needed to get Klaus out of our lives…for good."

She smiled.

~.~

Klaus drove quickly out of Mystic Falls; he ignored the pain in his chest when he left the town. Soon this would be nothing more than a faint memory. He would leave it all behind. He pressed down on the gas, trying to outrun his feelings and the memories of Mystic Falls and a certain blonde vampire. He vowed he would never allow himself this weakness again.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

**A/N: Thank you so much for all of the lovely reviews, favorites and follows. I appreciate everyone who took the time to read this story. My plan was to update once a week, but all the nice comments have made me write faster. I will warn ya'll, that I have a few busy weeks coming up so you can expect an update about once a week from here on out, they may come sooner, but I'd say once a week is a safe estimate. **

**One note about this chapter, I debated about doing one chapter from Caroline's POV in Mystic Falls and another from Klaus' in New Orleans, but I thought it would be more fun to go back and forth. However, the timelines don't really match up, I apologize if that makes it feel choppy, but I hope you go with me on this. Now without further delay….**

Caroline got up and got a shower and fixed her hair and makeup. She noticed that the she had to apply the make up thicker and thicker as the days went past to cover up the fact that she hadn't really slept in days. Not since she got back from her trip with Klaus.

She sighed.

It didn't matter anymore. He took the decision from her when he left. He left without saying goodbye or anything. He left for good.

Stefan had come over to tell her he was gone. He had asked if she wanted to talk, but she didn't, not about this.

It was for the best that Klaus was gone. She didn't have to feel bad anymore for what happened between them. She was the victim of a spell gone wrong and that was that. She wasn't in her right mind. She couldn't be held responsible for what had happened then.

Now, the ache she felt whenever she was alone, the memories of the days they spent together, and the dreams that haunted her everytime she lay down to sleep, were a different story.

Caroline didn't even hold his last words to her against him.

"_I already got what I wanted." _

They had hurt at the time, but she knew him. She knew he was acting out because he was hurt.

"_Whatever happens, when you think back on this weekend, think of it fondly, please?" _

He had to protect himself. He couldn't let the others know that he was weak, that she had made him feel.

"_Please, if this is a trick, a ploy, stop it now." _

It had been a trick, but a trick on both of them.

She put the finishing touches on her make up. No, it was good he was gone. There couldn't be a happy ending for them, not after she remembered. It would have been a betrayal of her friends, of Tyler. She could only hope the memories and the longing would fade with time. Right now what she needed was to keep busy. She needed a project. She headed to the boarding house to see if she could help them with Elena.

"_I'm sure the Salvatore's can handle project 'Save Elena' for a few days. " _

The memories WOULD fade.

~.~

Klaus stared out at the French Quarter admiring the changes time had made on the city from the balcony he stood on with Marcel. For a moment he thought about how much he wished Caroline was with him to see the place, but he shoved the thought aside. He was here for a reason, a witch was moving against him and his good friend Marcel was being less the honest with him about what was going on here.

He watched Marcel approach the bartender. Her quick response to him reminded him of Caroline. He didn't miss Mystic Falls at all, but the blonde vampire, despite his best efforts, was never far from his thoughts.

He felt a presence behind him. "Evening Elijah."

"Nicklaus"

He was still furious with him over their last conversation and the urge to ask him if he had any information regarding Mystic Falls made that anger much worse.

"What an entirely unwelcome surprise." Klaus stated.

Elijah noticed something different in his brother's demeanor. He could see the anger towards him, but there also wasn't much energy behind it. He made a note of it, especially in regards to his conversation with Stefan Salvatore before he left.

"_So you are saying that my brother actually showed emotion and caring towards this girl?" Elijah questioned Stefan._

"_I wouldn't believe it either, but I saw it with my own two eyes." Stefan agreed._

"_Why are you telling me this?" Elijah questioned._

_Stefan sighed. "Because I spent quite a while with him and while I by no means claim to have too much insight into his mind, I know that right now, he's got to be hurting. Caroline is trying to force herself to be ok, but she's a mess. She tries to cover it up, but you can see she's heartbroken."_

"_Do you think there's hope for a reconciliation?" Elijah asked._

"_Do you?" Stefan asked right back._

"_Knowing my brother's stubbornness, he will shut himself off from these feelings as fast as he can." Elijah said sadly. "He views love as a weakness."_

"_Well from what I saw, he was pretty weak then." Stefan looked at Elijah. "Look, I know what it's like to have a brother who…doesn't like to give in to his emotions and lashes out against them. I also know that if it was him, I'd probably be making sure he was ok." Stefan rolled his eyes. "Or that he wasn't about to do something colossally stupid."_

_Elijah gave him a slight smile. "I understand. Thank you for the information. I believe I'm going to take a little trip down to New Orleans and see what Niklaus is up to."_

_Stefan nodded at him. "Good luck."_

"_Good luck to you." Elijah turned to leave, but stopped. "If I can be of any help with Elena, please let me know."_

"_I appreciate that, but I don't know what you could do."_

_It was Elijah's turn to nod and he left without another word._

"I'm not going anywhere with you, until I find out who is plotting against me." Klaus was saying.

"I believe I've found that out for you."

~.~

"Where is she?" Caroline asked as she came storming in the boarding house. "I want to see her."

"We're not letting anyone see her, that's the whole point. Isolation leads to miser, leads to emotion." Stefan said with a sigh.

"She's been here for days. She hasn't improved at all?" Caroline answered searching the house.

"She doesn't want to Caroline, not yet, all right?" Stefan almost snapped. "She's devastated. She lost her brother. She attacked her friends. She killed an innocent woman."

"You said that you knew how to help her."

"I did say that. We are."

"How by torturing her?"

"Its not torture, its an intervention. The only chance we have with her is provoke her, to trigger something. Fear, anger, self pity anything."

Stefan could see the wheels turning in Caroline's brain. He knew she was looking for a distraction to keep her own pain away.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked.

"We are talking about it." She said.

"No, about what happened with you and Klaus." He wouldn't let her get out of this.

"There's nothing to talk about. I was under a spell and Klaus is gone for good." He wondered if she knew how sad she looked when she said that.

"Caroline, about that spell…" he tried to tell.

"No, Bonnie should have never done that. I don't want to think about it, I don't want to hear about it."

"But there is something you should know."

"No, there really isn't."

"Caroline…."

She looked up at him and he could see the exhaustion in her face. "Stefan, please. I can't, ok? I'm sorry, but I just can't."

"All right."

"I want to see her, before anymore interventioning. If she's weak she can't hurt me." He stared at her. "Please, just let me try." She almost begged. He knew she needed this right now, but he was certain this wasn't going to end well.

~.~

Hours later Klaus found himself in the Quarter wandering aimlessly. The witches had thought to control him with their ploy using Hayley and his child. His brother thought him a heartless beast who needed the offspring to reconnect with his humanity. Marcel thought that somehow he could outsmart him, that he was stronger and more powerful than he was. All Klaus wanted right now was to be back at that lake with Caroline in his arms watching the water.

He saw the bartender from before up ahead, watching a street artist paint. He felt himself drawn to her.

"The hundred dollar guy." She greeted him.

"The brave bartender." He rejoined.

They chatted for a moment, it brought the memories of Caroline closer to the surface, but for once he didn't push them down. He knew that once she found out about Haley she would never forgive him. He had hoped that one day, her anger would cool and she would only remember the brief moment they had in time together and she would seek him out. However, this was something that she would never forgive. He remembered their conversation lying on that leather sofa at his cabin, it seemed so long ago.

"_Actually, I've kind of gotten used to the whole vampire thing." Caroline was saying. She was curled up in his arms gloriously still naked, per his request. They had just had another glorious round of sex on the couch and they were talking of her transformation. It may be the only thing he would ever be thankful to Katerina for. Without her, he wouldn't have this wonderful creature before him, so soft in his arms._

"_Well, you seem to be doing quite well with it." He said and leaned over to give her a few kisses on her shoulder. He seemed to be addicted to her skin. He loved feeling against him, against his fingers, his lips, everywhere. He didn't think she should ever where clothes again._

"_I was a mess at first." Caroline said. "Thankfully, I had Stefan to get me through it."_

"_Ah, Stefan Salvatore and his bunny diet, a truly noble, and sad way to live."_

_She hit him lightly in the chest. "Be nice." She chastised. "The eternal youth will come in handy and as you pointed out once, I have lifetimes to see the world and everything in it."_

"_I would be more than happy to show it to you." He said._

_She lost her smile for a moment. "The only thing I'll really miss…" She trailed off._

"_What is it?" He asked._

"_You'll think its silly."_

"_I won't, tell me." He promised._

"_I always did want to be a mom." She said sadly. "That's the one thing I'll never get to do."_

"_Sweetheart, there are millions of children in this world that need a good home and a good mother. You could have your pick."_

"_It wouldn't be the same." She said. "I think it's different when it's yours."_

_Klaus sighed. It wasn't something he ever felt the need to do, be a father. Probably thanks to Mikael's influence in his life, but he could see that it meant something to her. He wished he had the words to ease her pain, but there really weren't any. "I'm sorry." He whispered and kissed the corner of her mouth gently._

_She looked up at him with a bright smile. "Its ok. I mean, eternal youth right?" He could see she was trying to push the sad thoughts away. He knew her well enough now to see through the mask that she put on for everyone._

"_It's not really though, is it?" He questioned._

"_Well, it's not like I can go back. I mean, as much as I want to be a mom, I don't think I would take the cure if it was offered to me. I'm happy with who I am now, and my life, or unlife, is looking up." She said with a real smile directed at him. "I just have to make the best of what I have."_

"_And I'll just have to make sure you have the best." He said answering her smile. He leaned down and kissed her deeply and the conversation ended for a while after that._

Klaus was brought back to the present by a question from Cami.

"He's amazing, isn't he?" Cami asked.

"Do you paint?" Klaus asked her.

"No, but I admire." She said. "Every artist has a story, you know?"

"And what do you suppose his story is?"

"He's…angry. Dark. Doesn't feel safe and doesn't know what to do about it. He wishes he could control his demons, instead of having his demons control him. He's lost. Alone."

Suddenly Klaus didn't hear Cami's voice, he heard Caroline's speaking these words and he fought the burning in his eyes. He knew she was gone for good. He lost her when he slept with that were bitch Haley and the truth was as much as he didn't want the witches having power over him, the main reason he wanted both of them dead was because he knew she destroyed any chance of having Caroline in his life again.

"No, I think you were probably right the first time." He said to her and then left before the conversation could continue.

~.~

Stefan opened the door and Caroline could see Elena collapsed on the floor.

"Good luck." Stefan said before walking away.

Elena sighed in disgust at her, but Caroline was determined. She pulled a vial of blood out of her pocket. "I brought you something." Elena focused on the blood. "It doesn't have any vervain in it, I swear. I just figured a little blood would help you think straight." Elena snatched it from her and drank it down greedily. "For the record, I don't agree with what they're doing. I mean I agree that you need to turn your humanity back on, but I don't think that making you suffer is the way to do it. Its not who you are."

"What makes you such an expert on who I am?" Elena said spinning the bottle around.

"Because we've been friends forever." Caroline said earnestly.

"I tried to kill you Caroline. I'm not exactly BFF material. You should move on." She kept spinning the bottle around.

Caroline reached out and stopped the spinning. "I am not going to give up on you."

"This annoying, clingy thing that you doing, did it ever occur to you that maybe that's why both your boyfriends skipped town?" Caroline kept a mask in place. She would not let Elena think she got the best of her by bringing that up. "I mean I know Tyler said he was running for his life, but maybe he was running from you. And Klaus, let's just say it, nobody likes a tease." Caroline fought with herself about breaking her neck, when Elena brought up Klaus. "Oh, except you weren't a tease anymore, were you?" Elena taunted her. "Yeah, I heard all about it. Bonnie cast a spell for you to get your heart's wish, turns out it was the big bad wolf…hybrid." Elena gave her an evil chuckle. "So Caroline could finally put out guilt free, get those perfect feathers ruffled. Then after the spell went away, so did his interest. He left town without even a goodbye, right?" Caroline sat back and glared at her. "Or was it you that was afraid to have those perfect feathers ruffled when you didn't have the excuse of spell to cover your feelings for the bad boy?" Caroline scoffed at her.

"You are in pain, you are lashing out, I get it." Caroline said, "but you can't stay this way forever. "We're about to graduate and start new lives, and you deserve..."

"Are you seriously talking to me about high school graduation?" It was Elena's turn to scoff. "Caroline do you realize how pathetic you are going to look in that cap and gown, pretending to be human, while you mom fake smiles, and counts down the minutes until you leave town so that you can stop being a reminder that her daughter is a compulsive, blood sucking control freak monster." Caroline got up and walked away. "Its really too bad that Stefan stopped before I could put you out of your misery, but here's to second chances." Elena rushed her.

Carolina held her off. "Elena?" She said in warning. Elena bared her fangs and Caroline snapped her neck.

Stefan came up behind her. She turned and looked at him. "Was she right?" She asked him.

"About what?"

"About the spell, Stefan." Caroline snapped.

He sighed. "Yeah. Bonnie wanted the prom to go off without a hitch. She cast a spell for you to get your heart's wish, she thought you'd want a perfect prom." Stefan watched her face crumble.

"It was my fault. I did this." She whispered.

"Hey, Caroline." Stefan gathered her in a hug. "Its ok, its not your fault."

"It is my fault." She insisted. "I betrayed you guys and let you down and I let him down." She cried. "He asked me…" She gasped for air. "He…"

"What Caroline?" She shook her head. She couldn't tell him. She couldn't share with him the Klaus she knew, the Klaus that he was when it was just the two of them, she had already let him down, she couldn't do that to him. She sniffled and pulled back.

"Do whatever you have to do." Caroline said. She glanced back at Elena. "I'll be upstairs."

Caroline ran upstairs and quickly called Bonnie.

"Well this is a surprise." Bonnie answered.

"I'm calling to apologize." Caroline said. "I'm still not happy you cast a spell on me without permission, but Stefan told me what the spell was, so I can't really blame you for what happened."

She heard a sigh on the other end. "I'm sorry I did that. I really thought that the only thing on your mind would be prom. I never expected you had that big a torch for Klaus." Caroline closed her eyes. She missed him so much.

~.~

Klaus wandered away and sat on a bench watching the life of New Orleans pulse around him. He sat there for hours, until the early morning, dawn was in the air and it was Quarter was quiet.

Elijah was suddenly next to him.

"Here to give me another pep talk on the joys of fatherhood?"

"I've said all I needed to say on that."

"On that?"

"I know about Caroline, Klaus."

"That's over. An experiment with those emotions you so recently lectured me on."

"It doesn't have to be. She may come around."

Klaus let out a bitter chuckle. "You don't know Caroline. Even if she could past our history, she would never forgive me this."

They were silent for a moment.

"I forgot how much I liked this town."

"I didn't forget. All the centuries we've spent together and yet I can count the number on one hand the number of times our family has been truly happy. I hated leaving here."

Klaus nodded. "As did I." He sighed. "I took Caroline to our original home, after we'd been turned."

"Really?" Elijah was amazed, both at the fact he took her there and that he was admitting it.

"I wanted her to see the lake. I wanted her to see where we came from." Klaus said quietly. "I was planning on bringing her here as well."

They lapsed into silence. Finally Elijah spoke.

"What is on your mind brother?"

"For a thousand years, I lived in fear. Any time I settled anywhere our father would hunt me down, chase me off. He made me feel powerless and I hated it." He sighed. "This town was my home once and in my absence Marcel has gotten everything that I ever wanted. Power, loyalty, family. I made him in my image and he has bettered me. I want what he has. I want to be king."

"And what of Hayley and the baby?" Elijah asked.

"Well, since I no longer have hopes of a queen, every king needs an heir."

Elijah studied him concerned. This was the most he had seen of his true brother in centuries. He admitted to feelings, for Caroline, fear and helplessness for the their father, even the nostalgia he obviously felt for places they felt at home. But he worried now that all this was just going to make him more ruthless and closed off.

~.~

Caroline ran out of the house to get her flash cards and notes for Matt. She heard Rebekah as soon as the door closed.

"You dated that." Caroline took a deep breath. She wasn't sure how much more of this day she could take before she completely broke down. Elena's cruel words echoed in her head, then her trying to kill her again, Rebekah showing up uninvited, another cruel reminder of Klaus, with the lack of sleep Caroline truly felt almost hopeless for the first time. She remembered the last time she felt even close to this was on her eighteenth birthday, which brought up another memory of Klaus.

She pulled out her cell phone and looked at it longingly. She wanted to call him. She wanted to hear his voice more than anything in the world. She wanted to tell him she was sorry and ask him to come back, but she couldn't do any of those things. Her friends would never forgive her. She walked quickly to her car and wound up dropping her keys. She heard a noise and stood up.

"Who's there?" She called.

There was no answer. She turned around when she felt a presence behind her and there he was not even two feet away. "Oh my god." She breathed.

"Hello, Caroline." She swallowed and fought the urge to grab him and kiss him. She had to remind herself of her friends and that it didn't matter if she did create the situation, she could not be with him. He just looked so good standing there in front of her.

"Can I talk to you for a moment?" She shrugged, but followed when he walked towards the woods.

"Everyone said that you were gone for good." She said, hoping he couldn't hear the hurt in her voice.

"Its true. Although I never meant to go without saying good bye."

The reminder of the way he left stiffened her resolve. "You don't owe me an explanation." She said defensively. "You're moving on, by all means…go."

"Well, that's just it isn't it, I never had any intention of moving on." He looked at her and it took her breath away. "Truth is I've tried to stop thinking about you and I can't." She couldn't stand the look on his face, so she scoffed and walked away.

"Come to New Orleans." He offered. She scoffed again. "What are you afraid of?"

"You!" She turned around. "I'm afraid of you." But even as she said the words, she knew they weren't true. She wasn't afraid of him, not anymore. She knew he would never hurt her and while she also knew she could never hope to control him, she hoped that by understanding him, she could temper his more drastic responses. She really believed that if they had the chance to be together, that it might be enough for him, he wouldn't need all the rest.

"Wouldn't it be more accurate to say you are afraid of yourself?" He advanced on her. "Your darkest desires? Elena was right, wasn't she? Deep down you long to have your perfect feathers ruffled."

"How do you know what Elena said to me in that cell?" But she knew. He slammed her up against a tree. This wasn't Klaus, she knew it as soon as he got close. She knew Klaus' scent.

"Silas." She gasped. He smelled like rotting and decaying leaves. He pressed up against her, making her cringe in disgust. He whispered in her ear of his search for Bonnie and she sobbed in terror. Then he drove the stake into her heart and everything went black.

~.~

Klaus and Elijah stood back in the cemetery with what remained of the witches.

"So how do we make this work?" Elijah asked. He watched Klaus eye up Haley like she was a specimen of some sort.

"Well, first off, we want a guarantee." Sophie said.

"I guarantee, I'll do as you ask." He said with a mocking tone.

"No, we need more than that." She insisted

"I'm not sure." Elijah began.

"What is it you need?" Klaus asked.

"Your blood." She stated.

"Really?"

"We are going to use it to bind you to the child, that way if you betray us, it will mean their death."

"I'm not so sure about this." Elijah said.

"This was your idea, Elijah." Klaus said, not even sparing his brother a glance, he bit into his wrist and held it out dripping blood to the young witch. She glared at him and then moved forward to collect it in a vial.

She turned back to her alter and started murmuring. The murmuring grew louder and louder.

"This can't be." She said.

"What is it?" Klaus asked impatiently. "Can't perform a simple spell?"

"No, I can't link you to the child."

"What?" Both Klaus and Elijah asked at the same time. Klaus turned to look at Hayley.

"We did the spells." Sophie was yelling. "This is a hybrid child."

Klaus saw the look on Hayley's face, for a moment he stood there shocked, then he smiled, and then he broke out into laughter.

Elijah looked at him amazed.

Klaus kept laughing. "Oh, I'm sorry, this is too much." He said with absolute glee.

"What is going on?" Elijah asked.

"Tyler Lockwood." He said, still laughing. "Isn't it, Hayley?"

She looked at the ground. "It would seem that Tyler and Hayley must have had a fling of their own." Klaus said, he walked up to her. "Tell me dear, was it before or after you tricked him into betraying me?"

"Shut up." She said.

"And when confronted with the truth, who was she going to say the father was? A mutt who I was planning on hunting to the ends of the earth or me, the Original? You weren't planning on the witches and their tricks, were you dear?"

Tears ran down Hayley's face. "What are you going to do with us?" She whispered.

"Me. Nothing." She looked relieved. "Absolutely nothing. As a matter of fact, I'll make sure the word gets out to every pack on this planet that they are also to do absolutely nothing also. You will be alone in this world, you and your child." He growled and turned away, then turned back. "Oh, unless you manage to track down dear Tyler, in which case, I'll hunt your entire family down."

She stared at him in terror. "Better run now." He goaded her. "No time like the present to start practicing."

She ran out of the cemetery as fast as she could.

Klaus turned to the witches before you. "As for you lot, you tried to manipulate and blackmail me into doing your bidding, what shall I do with you?" He questioned. "I know, you are going to work for me."

"We don't work for anyone." Sophie said bravely.

"Oh, you do now, but its going to work out quite well for you actually." He said with an evil grin. "I'm going to help you get what you want and in return you are going to help me."

They looked at him nervously.

~.~

Klaus and Elijah walked along Bourbon.

"Did Marcel believe you, that you just wanted to stay to enjoy the city?"

"I doubt it, but he pretended to and that's all I need."

"Are you certain this is the path you want to take?"

Klaus looked around the city with a smile. "Most certain." He said. "Although, I may need you to hold things down her for a while."

"Why is that?"

Klaus looked at him and grinned. "Because I'm finally going to take my older brother's advice."

"What advice is that?"

"I'm going to stop leading a hollow empty life."

"And what does that mean Niklaus?" Elijah asked, getting fed up with his cryptic responses.

"Why, I'm going to win my queen's heart."

Elijah broke out into one of his rare bright smiles. "Win her heart?" Klaus just nodded. "Then I wish you luck. They say the way to a woman's heart…"

Klaus just laughed. "Oh trust me, brother, there is no rule book for this woman, that is why she belongs with me."

~.~

Caroline sat alone in her bedroom staring blankly at the walls. Stefan and Damon were celebrating on the return of Elena's humanity. Matt and Rebekah were off somewhere studying. Her mom had insisted on going back to work as soon as she changed her uniform, Caroline knew it was her way of coping with the terror that came from pretty much dying in your living room. Bonnie had left when Silas ordered her to. And Caroline sat alone in her bedroom staring blankly at the walls.

She was alone. The friends that she was so afraid of their opinion had left her alone. Her mom almost died in front of her, she was staked by Silas, Elena had tried to kill her and still, here she sat, alone.

She picked up her cell phone and dialed. It rang a few times then went to voice mail.

"Hey. I guess I didn't really expect you to pick up." She sighed. "I got to meet Silas tonight, he showed up looking like you then made me think he drove a stake through my heart, then he got in my house and almost killed my mom. Just another day in Mystic Falls." She tried a weak joke. "Look, I just wanted you to know that I found that spell Bonnie cast wasn't for me to forget what you did. It was for my wish to come true and that was what I was wishing for. I'm sorry I let you down and I know that you are gone and you've moved on, but I just wanted you to know that I miss you and I'm sorry."

She hung up the phone and tears started running down her face, she sat there staring blankly at her wall while the tears poured down her face.

"Surely it can't be that bad."

Caroline looked over at the voice standing in her doorway, there was no reaction on her face at all.

"Caroline?" He questioned. He looked like Klaus, sounded like Klaus.

"Silas." She said, a small bitter smile came over her. "Back for more? Go ahead. I don't care. Stake me again. Maybe do it for real this time."

There was a blur and his hands were on her upper arms. "Silas was here?" He demanded.

She just stared at him blankly.

"Caroline." He shook her trying to get a response, but she just smiled at him with tears running down her face. He hugged her to him. "Caroline, it's me." He whispered. She didn't move. He pulled back and stared at her, she appeared to be in shock.

"Caroline, what did he do to you?" He asked, fearing the worst. She looked at him and inhaled prepared to tell him where to go, when the scent hit her. He didn't smell like rotting leaves and death.

"Klaus?" She whispered.

"I'm here."

"You're real?"

"I promise you I am." He answered.

"Oh my god." Her arms wrapped around him tight and she hugged him as she let loose the flood of emotions that had been building up since the night he left.

"Its ok, luv. I'm here. I promise I won't leave you again." He held her to him, rocking her back and forth.

She tried to talk but all that came out were incoherent noises. As worried as he was he couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped him. "Shhhh, it's all right." He soothed her.

He had no idea how long he held her for, eventually her sobs slowed and her breathing evened out and she fell into an exhausted sleep. He lay back on her bed cradling her against him. She was going to make a magnificent queen.

**A/N: So, here's what I've learned today:**

**People are like me and don't read Author's Notes. I TOLD ya'll in chapter 2 I wasn't going to include the Hayley pregnancy, and yes I kind of fibbed, but still. The chick REALLY irks me.**

**People review more when you tick them off. I got almost twice as many reviews for this chapter than I did for the previous ones….with that in mind, coming up next…Klaus and Elena run off together….just kidding.**

**Seriously, thanks for all the comments, you made my day and got me to post this that much quicker.**


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

Caroline slowly rose towards consciousness. She peeled open her eyes and looked blearily at her clock. It was still before seven and her alarm hadn't gone off yet, so it must be a weekend. Her eyes drifted closed again and she snuggled back down. She felt a hand stroking her back and her eyes opened again, she looked up and saw Klaus smiling down at her. She stared at him, blinking, trying to remember how he was there and what had happened.

"Morning." He said quietly.

Bits and pieces were starting to come back to her. Elena, Silas, her mom almost dying, and then Klaus appeared back out of nowhere.

"Morning." She answered.

"Are you all right?" He asked cautiously.

"Morning." She said again, in response.

He grinned. "Get some more sleep; you don't look like you've been sleeping much."

She realized she must look horrible after her breakdown last night and buried her head down in the blankets next to his chest. He chuckled.

"That's not what I meant, sweetheart." He said lightly, he pulled her up closer to him so her head was resting in the crook of his neck. "You always look beautiful, but I can tell you haven't been sleeping lately."

"Not since you left." She admitted quietly. He tightened his hold on her. They stayed like that for quite a while. Caroline tried to go back to sleep, but her brain was slowly waking up and starting to process. She was also quite content to stay just as she was.

"Why did you come back?" She finally asked.

"You know why." He answered.

"You got my message? How did you get here so fast?" She was confused.

"I left yesterday morning. I didn't get your message until after I had gotten here and you were already asleep." His face darkened as he remembered the fear in her voice when she told him about Silas. He was going to find a way to stop him. "How is your mom?"

"She's scared. She's covering it up by working and moving on like nothing happened."

"Like mother, like daughter."

She let out a small laugh. "I guess."

They were quiet for a few moments.

"So…are you….staying?" She asked tentatively.

He let out a breath. "For a while." He admitted.

"Oh."

"We need to talk then." He said.

"Yeah, we do." She agreed.

The silence was much heavier this time as they both debated on how to begin. They were both aware that this moment of peace they found was very fragile and could break apart at the slightest wrong word.

"I'm sorry for what I said that day at the boarding house." He began.

"You do tend to lash out when you get upset." She answered lightly.

"I didn't mean it." He said.

"I know, but you had to keep up appearances in front of the others. I'm just happy they were all still alive."

"That was a struggle." He admitted. She could hear the truth in his words and it hit her hard what she was doing. She was considering a relationship with someone who could kill in the blink of an eye for something as minor as witnessing a moment of weakness in him.

"I don't know how to do this." She admitted. He didn't say anything, knowing she wasn't finished. "You destroyed the lives of so many people I care about, yet here I am. I can't deny how I feel about you, but at the same time I don't know how to forgive you." She was quiet and again and he held his breath. "I'm afraid of you and what you are capable of, but the thing that scares me most of all, is that I understand why you've done so much of what you've done. It doesn't make it ok, but I understand it." She finished in a whisper.

He let out the breath he had been holding. "I won't lie to you and I'm not going to make you promises that I can't or won't keep. I wish I could tell you that I was sorry for the things I've done, because I know that would make it easier for you, but I can't. I can tell you that the most regret I've ever felt after killing someone was when I killed Carole Lockwood, but it wasn't because I felt bad about killing her, it was because I was afraid you'd hate me forever for it."

"I can't be your conscience." She said.

"I know. I also know that I care too much about you to ever want to hurt you and recently that has caused me to show restraint that previously would have resulted in many deaths." He felt her stiffen and realized that instead of easing her mind, it only reminded her of what he was capable of. He cursed himself. It shouldn't be this hard, they cared about each other. Shouldn't everything just fall into place? Things were so much easier when he just forced people's hand, like those witches. But Caroline wasn't something he could control and he honestly didn't want to control her and that made him realize something.

"For all the darkness inside of me and all the things I'm capable of, there is a light inside of you that matches it, that tempers it. I won't tell you that it will be easy, because it won't. Despite what I just said, I know there will be times that I let you down or hurt you, but I do care about you, more than any other person or thing on this planet."

He looked down and saw tears running down her face.

"Please don't cry." He begged.

She looked up at him. "I'm in love with you." She whispered.

He was filled with a bittersweet joy. She loved him. She admitted she loved him. However, the tears made it obvious that the admission was not one she really wanted. He didn't know what to say to make it better, so far words had seemed to fail him at easing her concerns. He cradled her face in his hands and poured all his emotions into kissing her.

She responded immediately, her hands bunched in his shirt pulling him closer.

"God, I've missed you." He whispered, in between kisses. "You don't know how much."

"Too many clothes." She muttered, fighting to pull up the bottom of his shirt, but unwilling to lose contact with him. He pushed her back gently and sat up, stripping off his shirt. She did the same; he admired her beauty for a split second before she was back in his arms. He rolled her over, his hands running over her soft skin that he uncovered. She ran her hands over his chest and up around his neck to tangle in his hair, pulling him down against her lips again. She mewled at the feeling of him pressed up against her and she automatically wrapped her legs around his waist, forgetting that they weren't completely naked yet.

"Patience, luv." He whispered pulling away from her lips and started kissing down her neck. He kissed down the middle of her chest and raised his eyes to make sure he had her full attention. Her eyes were on his. He gave her a sly grin and started peppering kisses around her breasts, running his hands up and down her sides, but avoided touching her nipples. Her breathing became more erratic and she began to twist trying to direct his mouth, but he still avoided her attempts.

"Klaus, please." She whimpered out breathlessly. He rewarded her plea by running his tongue lightly around her areola on one breast and running a finger tip around the other. She responded with a light moan that ended in a whimper. He continued these ministrations, speeding up his actions until she was almost panting, then he rewarded her by sucking hard on her nipple and pinching the other lightly. She almost sat up from the sensation, but he kept her pressed firmly to the bed with his body. Her hands buried themselves in his hair to hold him in place. The gentle touch of her hands felt so good on his scalp.

"I've missed you." She murmured in between moans. "I've missed this." He switched sides, latching his mouth on where his fingers had previously been and brought his other hand to her abandoned nipple. She let out a long purr that he felt in his own skin. She rocked her lower half against him mindlessly seeking some friction.

He abandoned her chest and continued kissing his way down over her stomach. She mewled at the loss of contact, but the look in his eyes quieted her. She felt a bolt of sheer lust rock through her at the desire on his face, the desire for her.

He kissed his way down until he came to her sleep shorts. He pulled them slowly over her hips, never looking away from her eyes. Once he had them down her legs he looked down at the scrap of underwear she was still wearing, cute little cotton hipster panties with a large apple on the front missing a piece, underneath were the words 'Bite me'. He looked up and saw a smile on her face at his reaction.

"Is this an invitation?" He almost growled and she swallowed thickly at his tone of voice. He lowered his head and opened his mouth; he bit down gently over her still covered mound with his blunt teeth. She gasped and tried to buck up against him. He slowly pulled his teeth back along her covered flesh until all he had left between them was a small section of the cotton. He slowly pulled her last remaining covering off with his teeth; she lifted her hips to help him along. Watching him, while he stared up at her had her breath coming out in short pants. When he had her uncovered he used his hands to push the fabric the rest of the way down and retraced his way back up her thighs with his tongue.

He ran his tongue gently between her lips and once again her hands returned to his hair as he buried his lips against her. He was surrounded by her taste, her moans and the feeling of her touch. He found himself wanting to stay there forever. He lapped up her moisture knowing her well enough that this wouldn't be enough to push her over the edge, but would drive her crazy with pleasure. He could keep her like this until she was begging for him. The pressure in his own pants was becoming painful, but he pushed it aside. Her movements back frantic and the he could feel her nails along his scalp and knew she was close to begging, but he continued on as he was until he heard her voice.

"Please," She whimpered. "Please let me cum. I need to so bad."

At her words, he pushed two fingers into her and latched on to her clit, she yelled out at the feeling. He sucked hard at her and then bit down gently. Her yell grew louder and he felt her pulse against his fingers. He went back to sucking at her until she relaxed back down and when she grew too sensitive for that, he ran his tongue lightly over her clit producing small shivers of aftershocks running through her.

He jumped back in a flash and removed his own pants before joining her back on the bed. Her arms welcomed him back and she kissed him, not minding her own taste on his tongue. They kissed and rubbed against each other for a few moments enjoying the freedom of naked skin. She rolled him over onto his back and pulled back with a wicked look.

"My turn." She said, but before she could move he grabbed her and rolled her back over.

"I need to be inside of you." He panted. "Its been too long. I need to feel you." He said desperately.

She gasped at his words and the longing in them, but could only nod in understanding, not trusting herself to speak at the emotion she heard in his voice. He lined himself up at her entrance and pushed in slowly. His eyes closed and he let out a moan as he buried himself deep inside of her. The feeling of her surrounding him, he never thought he'd feel this again. If he looked at her right now he'd lose it completely. He felt her pull his head down and her soft lips on his temple.

"Shhh, it's ok." She whispered. "I'm right here with you. I love you." He let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding and looked down at her. She was so beautiful and he could see the love on her face. He slowly began to move, fighting the urge to pound himself into her. He could feel his eyes flicker and his fangs pushed against his gums as the animal side of him fought to mark her and claim her as his own.

She reached up and traced his lips. "I trust you." She said. His fangs burst forth at her words, he pushed into her faster and faster, he couldn't help the growl that escaped him. She turned her head to the side and bared her neck to him without a trace of hesitation. He lunged down at her neck, knowing he was moments away from release, but didn't bite her. Instead, she felt his breath in her ear and his words.

"I love you, too."

That was what it took to push her over the edge she bucked against him wildly her nails scratched down his back and she moaned his name as she came, all of which caused his own release as he pumped into her, her name a cry on his own lips.

She had no idea how long they lay there in each other's arms. She could feel him wrapped around her, his head resting on her chest as he held her tightly while she rubbed up and down his back gently. He loved her. He told her he loved.

She knew she was in trouble now and she was elated and terrified all at the same time. There was no way she could detach herself from him, not be with him. But he was right, it wasn't going to be easy and it was likely going to cost her everything and everyone she knew and loved.

"What happens now?" She asked.

"I want you with me, beside me, always." He said quietly.

"Beside you?" She questioned doubtfully.

He smiled. "Something tells me you won't be happy with anything less."

"Do you realize what that means?" She only half teased.

"I don't really know how it will work." He admitted. "I've never really had a partner before; the closest to one would be Elijah…"

She snorted interrupting him. "And how often did he wind up daggered?"

He sighed.

"Have you really thought this through?" She persisted. "How do you know you won't get sick of me after a week? I can be a brat, in case you haven't noticed, and you don't like to listen to anyone."

"I have noticed both of these things, but I've also noticed the fact I don't listen, doesn't stop you from trying to make me listen." He looked up at her. "And I have thought about this, I've thought about nothing but this since we've been apart. I don't like the fact that I need you as much as I do, I actually hate it. But I do need you." She smiled shyly at him.

"There is a lot happening in New Orleans right now. I have plans in the works that will be coming to fruition and I want you with me."

"New Orleans?" She questioned. "I can't go to New Orleans, I'm graduating soon." Her voice rose as she became agitated.

"I know, I know." He soothed her. "I was hoping we could leave after you graduate."

"But…but I want to go to college." She protested.

"They do have colleges in New Orleans, luv. Some are quite good. Tulane. Loyola." She sighed. "You were planning on leaving Mystic Falls for college, weren't you?" He prodded.

"Yes, but I wasn't looking at New Orleans."

"It's a wonderful city." His grin got a bit sharper. "And it's about to get better." She sighed again knowing he was up to something.

"You can't just take the choice from me." She protested.

It was his turn to sigh. "Caroline, you have centuries before you. The world is a big place and you have lifetimes to live. What's wrong with starting out here?"

"There's nothing wrong with starting out there, but I don't like the fact that you took the choice from me." Her voice rose.

"I didn't take the choice from you." He argued and his voice got a bit louder. "You asked me what I wanted and I told you."

"But you are just assuming I'm going to agree with you." She snapped, pushing him off her and sitting up.

"I'm not assuming anything." He yelled. "You asked me and I told you. I was planning on telling you all about New Orleans and convincing you to come with me."

"Well, you're doing a great job." She yelled back sarcastically.

"Well, it's not like you're letting me." He yelled back.

They glared at each other for a moment and then Caroline felt a grin at the absurdity of them screaming at each other moments after confessing they were in love. Her mouth twitched as she fought against it. Klaus saw it and she saw his mouth twitch too. In a moment they were both laughing.

"Oh my god, we are going to be a disaster." She laughed.

"Yes." He agreed, pulling her back into his arms. "But a beautiful disaster."

"Oh really?" She laughed. "We're going to kill each other."

"Yes, but fights lead to great makeup sex, do they not?"

"I'm not agreeing to move to New Orleans after graduation." She said adamantly.

"Not now or not ever?" He asked.

"Not now."

"Would you agree to come visit after graduation and at least being open minded about the option?" He asked.

There was silence. He found the anger beginning to return, she wouldn't even accept a compromise?

"Caroline?" He questioned.

She looked at him hesitantly. "Klaus, I don't know that I can leave until we get things sorted out with Silas."

"What do you mean?"

"I can't just abandon my friends when they need me."

"And what can you do against Silas?" He demanded.

She immediately got defensive. "I don't know, ok? But I'm not making any plans to leave until I know this has been dealt with."

"I am not about to let you put your life in danger for a fool's war, Caroline." He growled.

"Let me?" Her eyes narrowed. "Let me?"

"Yes, let you. You and your crusades to save your friends and the world, going up against forces you don't stand a chance against is a fool's errand and I will not LET you continue to do this."

"We're still alive, aren't we?"

"Barely." He snapped. "How many times have you been kidnapped now?"

"AND I'M STILL ALIVE." She growled out. She stopped at the tone of her own voice. "Look." She began again before they could start fighting again. If he could compromise on New Orleans, maybe she could too. "If you want to make sure we don't wind up dead, then why don't you help us?"

"Do you forget that he got inside MY head?" Klaus argued with her. "Survival 101, don't go up against someone who is stronger and more powerful than you are."

"Look, he has a weakness, he has too. And it's not like you want them lowering the veil or you are going to have a lot more than Silas to worry about. So stay and help us and once that's been taken care of, I'll let you show me all New Orleans has to offer."

He glared at her, realizing she wasn't going to budge on this. He debated about kidnapping her himself. He wondered exactly how long and how much make up sex he would have to offer to get her to forgive him. He watched the steely expression in her eyes.

"I really hate this compromising." He growled.

She smiled at him brightly and kissed him. He kissed her back claiming her lips possessively trying to remind himself that she was his. She wrapped her arms around him and melted against him and he found his irritation was fading. She was his, she belonged to him. No one else.

Her phone started ringing. He held her tighter when she tried to pull away.

"No phones." He said in between kisses.

"It might be important."

"Its not." He insisted.

"Klaus, what if it's my mom?"

He reluctantly let her go. She jumped off the bed and grabbed the phone off the dresser, he admired her naked form.

"It's Stefan." She said.

"Then don't answer it…"

She opened the phone and answered it. He rolled his eyes.

"Hey Stef." She said cheerfully and sat back down on the edge of the bed. He leaned over and started running his hand over her hip.

"Hey Caroline. I need your help." Stefan answered.

"Of course he does." Klaus whispered, having no trouble hearing the conversation. Caroline slapped his hands away.

"Sure Stefan. What's up?"

"Well, you know Elena turned her emotions back on, the problem is, she's dialed in to only one, rage. She's determined to kill Katherine." Klaus snorted and began running his hands across her back trying to distract her again.

"What can I do?" Caroline asked, twisting and slapping at his hands again. He grinned up at her. 'STOP', she mouthed at him. He just shook his head.

"I was hoping maybe you could get together with her for a while today and try to distract her from all this."

"Sure thing. We could use some girl time and planning for graduation." Klaus started running kisses across her shoulders.

"Ok, good. Can you be here in about an hour?" Stefan sounded very relieved.

"Um, yeah, but I need to talk to you about some stuff when I get there."

Klaus stopped kissing her and rested his head on her free shoulder.

"Its sounds serious." Stefan commented.

"It kind of it." She said.

"All right, I'll see you when you get here." He didn't sound happy at the thought of more issues to deal with.

"I'll see you then." Caroline agreed and hung up.

"Are you sure you want to do that?" Klaus asked.

"I'm not going to lie to them." She answered.

"Lying and omission aren't exactly the same things." He countered.

"Look, we have enough to worry about without keeping secrets." She said. "Now get dressed, we have to leave soon."

"I'm going with you?" He asked incredulously.

A little less than an hour later they pulled up to the boarding house. Caroline, was extremely nervous despite stating otherwise. Her smile was a bit too bright and her voice was a bit too sharp. She looked over at Klaus and saw his face was set in a mask. The powerful hybrid was back in control and determined not to show any weakness or emotion.

They walked up to the door and Caroline knocked, after a few minutes it swung open, Stefan looked exhausted. He looked at the two of them standing before him.

"I thought you left town."

"Back for a visit, mate."

Stefan sighed and stepped back letting them in. They walked into the living room. Elena was sitting on the couch looking angry and Damon was across the room drinking, of course.

"We've got company." Stefan announced as they entered. Elena's eyes flickered up, but her expression didn't change.

"Really?" Damon asked. "Again? We really need to get Bonnie into witchy rehab."

"I'm not under a spell, Damon." Caroline said.

"Somehow that doesn't make it better." Stefan muttered.

Caroline looked at Elena, but the other girl didn't say a word. She just looked at them waiting. Caroline went over to her and hugged her gently. "Its good to have you back." Elena offered her a weak hug in return.

"Sooooo," Damon said, walking around Klaus. "Are you too sweeties now?"

"We're together." Caroline answered.

"Oh, this is just beautiful." Damon said. "What are you even thinking?" He demanded of her. "What about all the times he's tried to kill us?"

"What about all the times you tried to kill me? Or the times we tried to kill him?"

"Because he was hunting Elena!" Damon yelled. "What do you think is going to happen when she takes the cure? He'll be right back to wanting to bleed her!"

Caroline flinched and her eyes flicked to Klaus doubtfully. He was determined to let her fight this battle herself, but he knew he had to help her a bit.

"Actually, that experiment didn't turn out quite like I had planned." He sat down on the couch as if he owned it. "I don't think I'll be in a rush to repeat it."

"That's nice, too bad all those people had to die for you to learn that." Damon answered.

"Damon don't pretend like you care about any of those people." Caroline interrupted. "The only thing you care about is Elena."

"Yeah, but you DO care Caroline." Stefan spoke up. "How can you just ignore all that he's done?"

"The same way you do with Damon." She countered immediately. "Because I love him." Klaus couldn't help a small smile at her declaration. It was one thing for her to admit to him, but to admit it out loud here meant a lot.

Stefan sighed and Damon scoffed.

"Will you help me kill Katherine?" Elena's voice interrupted.

"Elena…" Both Damon and Stefan said at the same time in exasperation.

"Will you?" She asked again.

Klaus stared at her. "You think your revenge will make it better?" He spoke soft and dangerous. "You think it will make your pain go away? It won't. It will always be there and the sooner you learn to deal with it, the sooner you'll be able to live."

"You seem to have done all right living for revenge." Elena said in a cold tone.

Klaus leaned forward and smiled at her nastily. "So I'm the person you want to model your life after? Really?" His smile faded to a cold hard look and he flashed so he was directly in front of her looking down into her eyes. Damon and Stefan both tensed, but Caroline just watched.

"Let me tell you a bit about revenge." Klaus stared down at Elena. "You make that your raison d'etre and soon that is all you have. When you complete your first goal, another one just comes along to take its place, and so you keep going on and on until you are so soaked in blood you don't remember a time when you weren't." He leaned down until his face was inches from hers. "Then years from now, you'll wake up and realize the only thing you have is blood filled memories and regrets and the only way to keep them from destroying you is to keep moving forward steeped in blood." Elena stared at him, her eyes had widened in fear. "Now is that really what you want?" Klaus growled at her.

He was back across the room and sitting lazily on the couch before any of them could blink. Elena quickly covered the fear on her face with a childish defiance.

"Lovely boyfriend you've chosen, Barbie." Damon snapped, taking a drink. Caroline walked over to Klaus and sat down next to him. She subtly slid her hand along his lower back under his shirt. She felt his muscles relax slightly under her touch.

Where the others saw him taunting Elena, she saw something else. She could see the flash of pain in his eyes and the regret. She knew that speech wasn't for Elena's benefit, even though she was her friend, Klaus wouldn't care if Elena decided to hunt down Katherine. No, it was more about his life and his pain, something that apparently she could see clearly, now that she knew how to look.

"Elena." Caroline said. "Why don't we get out of here for a while? Go pick out our dresses for graduation."

She could see the other girl had no interest in this, but she also apparently didn't want to sit there under Stefan and Damon's watchful eyes anymore.

"I'll go get changed." Elena muttered and left to go upstairs.

They sat in a tense silence for a few minutes until Caroline heard the door shut upstairs.

"I've asked Klaus to help us with Silas." Caroline announced.

"If he hadn't handed him the cure, then maybe we wouldn't be in this mess now." Damon spoke up. Caroline waited for Stefan to speak, but he continued to remain quiet. She knew that he was caught up in his emotions over Elena, but they needed him here.

"On the contrary," Klaus spoke. "At this point he feels he's won. He has Bonnie under his control obviously and he has the cure. He'll be focused on his end game, not any last minute resistance."

"So what's your big plan then?" Stefan asked. "Especially if Bonnie is on his team."

"I know of a few witches that recently owe their allegiance to me. I'm going to make some calls today to see if they can help."

Stefan nodded and sighed. "At this point any help would be appreciated." He said.

Elena returned. "Let's get this over with."

"I need to get my purse from your car." Caroline told Klaus.

Damon and Stefan both approached Elena. "A few rules before going out…" Caroline heard Damon begin as they walked outside. She got her purse from his car and they waited for Elena to come outside. Caroline took advantage of their moment alone, kissing him deeply. She felt his hands on her hips, but she pulled back before the others came outside and caught them.

"What was that for?" He asked.

"Because I love you." She answered. She just wanted to remind him, after seeing his confrontation with Elena, she had wanted to hug him tight, but she also knew that wouldn't be allowed in front of the others.

For a second his mask broke and he smiled at her warmly. He didn't return her sentiment, not out loud, but she could see it in his eyes. They heard the door open and his mask was back in place.

"You can take my car." Stefan offered and held the keys out to Caroline.

Elena scoffed. "Don't trust me to drive?"

"C'mon Elena." Caroline said brightly through gritted teeth. "Let's go have some fun." As they left the three men standing there, Caroline briefly wondered whose day was going to be more awkward, hers or Klaus'.


	7. Chapter 6A

Chapter 6:

**A/N: Thank you so much for all the nice comments, pm's follows and favorites. I apologize for the delay; my work schedule has been crazy. I also had trouble with this chapter. I knew what I wanted it to do and where I wanted it to go, I just got a bit bogged down getting it there. I changed up this episode a bit from the show to make it do what I wanted. I broke it up into two parts. It was getting kind of long and I wanted to get this out today. I'm off all day, so I'm hoping the other part will be up tonight.**

**I'm thinking there is only going to be two or three more chapters of this until I reach the end of the season. I'm debating about having a sequel based in New Orleans, which is my old stomping ground. Let me know if anyone is interested and I'll see if I can get my ideas to come together on that. I'm also kind of curious to try or read a New Orleans based story where Hayley is pregnant and Caroline is there. As much as I hate the idea, I could see a real Shakespearian tragedy, but I dunno. **

"Stamp, please." Caroline said perkily.

Elena handed her a stamp.

"Thank you."

"You don't have to pretend to be nice to me Caroline." Elena said emotionlessly. It was almost hard to believe she had turned her emotions back on. "I know this is just a ploy to keep me distracted."

"You're done?" Caroline asked incredulously. "I'm only on my second batch."

"We have family friends in Denver." Elena stated. "Other than that no one cares that I'm graduating and to be honest, neither do I."

"I know that's how you feel now, but once you get through this hating Katherine phase…" Caroline began.

"Wait; do you know where Katherine is?" Elena asked.

"No, why would I know where she is?" Caroline answered. She tried to keep the annoyance out of her voice. She could be in bed right now, with Klaus. They could be doing unspeakable things to each other over and over again celebrating in the fact that he loved her. Of course, she was in love with him, but she never, NEVER expected him to return her feelings, despite the fact that he pursued her the way he did.

Instead, she was here playing distract Elena and Klaus was doing what she asked and helping the Salvatores come up with a plan to destroy Silas. At least she hoped he was, otherwise, he was planning on destroying the Salvatores.

"Yeah, but Caroline, if you did you would tell me, right?" Elena demanded.

She was doing this because she was a good friend, Caroline reminded herself. "Elena, you're obsessing." She said through gritted teeth.

Elena grabbed her arm. "Caroline, listen to me, if you know where Katherine is then you have to tell me."

"I don't." Caroline snapped and pulled her arm back. "Elena, chill."

Elena looked disappointed.

"Did nothing Klaus say make an impression on you?" Caroline asked.

Elena glared at her. "Please, I'm not about to take life advice from the guy who tried to destroy mine, repeatedly."

"Ok." Caroline said slowly. "Then how about the fact that he's been chasing her for five hundred of those years and he hasn't managed to kill her yet? Does that even faze you at all?"

"Well, obviously he wasn't trying too hard." Elena muttered.

Caroline clenched her jaw. She was a good friend, she reminded herself yet again.

For a moment she allowed her mind to wander back to Klaus. He wanted her to move to New Orleans with him. What would New Orleans even be like? She wasn't naïve she knew he was up to something down there, but she still wondered what it would be like to live in a city like that. The only thing she knew about New Orleans was what she saw on TV about Mardi Gras and the pictures after Katrina. She wondered what it would be like to be with him out of Mystic Falls and away from all this drama.

She looked at Elena for a second coming back to the present; she went back to addressing her envelopes.

"So," she said slowly. "Are you ok with the whole me and Klaus thing?" She asked.

Elena scoffed. "It's not like I have the moral high ground these days."

Caroline shot her a look.

"Do I think it's ok that you are sleeping with the guy who tried to bleed me and killed Jenna? No." Elena added. "But I have other things on my mind to worry about."

"You know Elena, it's not like Damon is some saint. There is plenty of blood on his hands too, but you forgot all the bad things he did once you started having feelings for him."

"Well, then, I guess we're both attracted to the bad boys. At least this time, it's not the same boy."

Caroline was about to snap at her, fed up with her attitude when her cell phone went off. It was a text message from Klaus.

'**If you had any doubt about the depth of my feelings for you, my spending time with Thing 1 and Thing 2 should clarify that.'**

Caroline smiled at the reminder of his admission and typed back.

'**I'm not having any fun either, you know. I keep thinking we should still be in bed.'**

"I take it that's the Prince of Darkness now." Elena commented.

'**We can be at my house in five minutes.' **Klaus' reply was instantaneous.

"Yes, its Klaus." Caroline said. "He's still with Stefan and Damon." Caroline sighed. "You know I didn't do this to hurt you or anyone else." She commented, although why she felt the need to defend herself to Elena at this point, she wasn't sure. "I can't help how I feel about him, but I do. I care about him, a lot. He's different with me and there is more to him than meets the eye." She stared at Elena. "Isn't that how it is with you and Damon?"

"I don't know how it is with me and Damon anymore." Elena commented. "He's avoiding me."

Caroline rolled her eyes. Typical Damon, he was scared so he was avoiding. She typed a message back to Klaus.

'**I've been thinking…New Orleans sounds pretty good about now. I like it better when we are away from here.'**

"Well, if he is the one you want to be with, instead of Stefan, then you need to make him talk to you." Caroline stated.

"I have other things on my mind right now." Elena insisted.

'**Does this mean you will come with me to visit?'**

'**I'm thinking yes. We should go right after graduation; we can come back for this mess with Silas, if we need to.'**

"Are you sure, neither you nor Klaus knows where Katherine is?" Elena asked her. Caroline almost bit through her lip fighting the urge to yell.

~.~

Klaus smiled at Caroline's message, she was willing to go with him, now he just had to help these children get rid of Silas and he could have her all to himself. He was certain once they got to New Orleans he'd be able to convince her to stay. Granted it would be dangerous for her, but quite honestly, not as dangerous as this awful town.

"Earth to Big, Bad, Evil Dude." Damon's voice interrupted his thoughts. "If you could pull your head away from Barbie for a moment, I believe we were told you could help us. So far all you've done is talked to some witches, called your big brother and shot down every idea we've come up with." Damon took at drink. "Oh, and obviously sexting Barbie."

"I've shot down your ideas because they are moronic." Klaus stated. He had called Elijah and asked him to come back after finding out as much as he could from the witches. He hated to pull out of New Orleans completely like this, but the Silas situation was too volatile for him to be comfortable going in without someone he trusted. Granted, he trusted Caroline, but in a situation like this, she was too young and would be a liability. "There are other things I could be doing besides sitting here listening to your inane ideas."

"Again, I don't see you coming up with any better ones." Damon stated.

"Enough!" Stefan yelled. "Fighting isn't going to get us anywhere."

Klaus glared at Damon. "I like to have more information before going into battle with a being twice as old as myself."

"Well, unfortunately, we are short on information." Damon snapped. "All we know is he can appear as anyone, or make us think he is anyone, your Lord and Hybridness."

Klaus opened his mouth to retort, but Stefan interrupted.

"Hey, that might be it."

"What might be it? We sacrifice Klaus?" Damon asked.

"No Damon." Stefan looked at Klaus. "He can get into our heads and project himself as whomever he wants, usually using our fears against us."

Klaus looked at Stefan expectantly. "Go on." He motioned.

"Well, what if he can only get inside a human brain?"

"And Klaus isn't human…"

Stefan sighed. "No, but Klaus can turn into something besides human."

"You want me to turn into a wolf and hunt Silas?" Klaus asked.

"That sounds like a horrible idea." Damon said. "What's to stop him from ripping all of us apart?"

Stefan just looked at him.

"Actually, I manage to keep control when I'm in wolf form." Klaus informed Damon. "Probably part of being a hybrid."

"Tyler never did."

Klaus glared at him. "I think you'll find Tyler and I have very little in common." Klaus answered acidly.

"Cept for the fact you've both boffed Barbie." Klaus was up and had Damon's throat in a fraction of a second.

"ENOUGH!" Stefan yelled.

Klaus pulled Damon in. "Say something like that again and I'll rip your spine out through your throat." He growled, and then released him. Of course Damon only chuckled, not having the sense to be afraid.

Klaus looked at Stefan. "It's actually not a bad idea, but we don't know if it will work and if he gets inside my head when I'm in wolf form, it could be much worse."

Stefan nodded. "It also may give us the advantage we need if he can't. You could lead us right to him."

"And then what?" Klaus asked. "Do you have any plans from there? Any idea on how to kill him?"

"Well, there was one way, but apparently you turned his only weakness over to him." Damon commented, standing up slowly.

Just then Damon's phone rang. He pulled it out and looked at it. He grinned at Klaus. "It's your mother-in-law." He opened his phone. "What's up Liz?"

Klaus turned away. He wondered how the Sheriff was going to react to his relationship with her daughter and the fact he was planning on taking her away.

"Yeah, we'll be right there." He heard Damon say before hanging up. "Trouble at the local hospital, Liz wants us to come check it out." He said picking up his keys.

"I'll drive myself." Klaus commented.

"Who said you were invited?" Damon asked.

"Caroline asked me to help you with this problem and I mean to get it taken care of quickly so I can be done with you."

Damon shrugged. "Up to you." He headed to the door.

"I'm going to ride with Klaus." Stefan said.

Damon just gave his brother a look and headed out the door.

Klaus looked at Stefan considering before nodding that he could ride with him.

They got into the car and there was silence for the first part of the drive. Finally Klaus couldn't take it anymore. "So what's on your mind, mate?" He asked.

"Caroline." Stefan answered.

Klaus snorted.

"I'm serious." Stefan said.

"Oh, I believe you are. I just find it amusing that you are concerned for her well being now. Where were you last night when she was alone and scared and crying her eyes out?"

"I talked to her last night, she said she was fine." Stefan answered defensively.

"Her mother was almost murdered in their living room, she was haunted by Silas and you left her alone because you were too concerned with your precious Elena." Klaus snapped.

Stefan was silent a moment. "I thought she was ok. She's so strong and she's been through so much…"

"She is strong and she has been through so much, but she still needs her friends."

Stefan stared at him. "You really do care about her." He stated.

Klaus didn't answer, unwilling to admit his feelings.

"I saw it that day here, when we had to go get Bonnie, but even seeing it, I never thought you would give in to your feelings. You always said love was a weakness." Stefan said slowly. "After all this time, you care about someone." Stefan laughed. Klaus tightened his grip on the steering wheel. Stefan paused observing him for a moment. "And just you caring about her puts her in danger." Stefan added.

"I can keep her safe." Klaus stated.

"Maybe." Stefan didn't disagree. "But this is Caroline we're talking about." He smiled. "When trouble isn't finding her, she's running head long into it. And when it has to do with someone she cares about," he looked meaningfully at Klaus, "well, then she can tend to go kamikaze."

"I said I can keep her safe."

Stefan shook his head. "That's the other thing about Caroline; she has a tendency to be pretty stubborn."

Klaus snorted. "I hadn't noticed." He commented dryly.

"The tighter you try and hold her back and keep her safe, the more she's going to fight you on that." Klaus was quiet, digesting Stefan's words. "She's not a possession you can keep on a shelf or lock up. You need to train her to take care of herself."

"And what makes you think you are in any position to give relationship advice?" Klaus asked. "Last I checked you lost the love of your life to your brother."

Stefan smiled sadly. "Yeah, I did. At first I tried to hold on too tight. I tried to control her adjustment to being a vampire, make her like me. Then I gave up and pushed her right towards my brother. So maybe you, for once, could take a lesson from someone else."

"And why would I believe that you would want to help me?"

"I don't." Stefan answered easily. "However, you are right about us leaving Caroline alone, taking her for granted. She is my friend and she's been there for me more than I can count and I let her down a lot." He looked out the window. "But you, you always seem to put her first, you are always there when she needs you and like I said, I can tell you care about each other. So for her happiness, I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt on this." He smiled sadly. "And the benefit of my wisdom on 'what not to do' in relationships."

"You don't think that training her to take care of herself will make her more reckless and more willing to run into danger."

Stefan smile grew bigger. "That is always a possibility."

"How is that any better?"

Stefan laughed. "Because at least she won't be sneaking out behind your back to get in trouble."

Klaus sighed realizing that Stefan was right. He would have to resort to chaining up Caroline to keep her out of trouble, which could be interesting in the right mood, but he was pretty sure she wouldn't be allowing him to have sex with her if he resorted to chaining her up to keep her safe.

"I have to say, it's going to be fun watching you flounder through this." Stefan added delightedly.

Klaus wanted to snap at him and inform him that he wasn't planning on staying, but he stayed quiet. People were so much less tiring when you could just threaten them into silence, or kill them.

~.~

Stefan and Klaus arrived at the hospital and found Damon leaning against the counter. Klaus watched the brothers bicker for a few moments about Elena before he couldn't take anymore.

"I don't mean to interrupt," Klaus snapped, "except of course for the fact that I do, but do you think we could find out why the good sheriff called us here, instead of having another showing of How The World Turns for Elena."

Damon turned to him. "Exactly how long do you think it will take before you do something that causes Barbie to turn it off and you're in a similar situation?"

Klaus flashed in front of Damon. "I would never hurt her." He growled.

"Oh please, you don't just give up being evil over night and you WILL do something that's going to crush her. You know it and I know it."

Klaus stared at him. "Well, there is also the fact that Caroline is much stronger than Elena and I don't have to worry about her wilting like a flower every time something bad happens."

"Let's not forget that you were the one who was behind most of the tragedies in Elena's life." Damon snapped. "So you are part of what has made her who she is today, a fact which Caroline has seemed to conveniently forget."

"Let's not forget that you were the one behind making Caroline who she is today."

"Hey guys, thanks for coming." Liz Forbes stepped out and eyed up Klaus and Damon standing toe to toe. It was obvious she heard the tail end of their conversation.

"Why were we invited?" Damon asked stepping away from Klaus.

"The hospital has kept the blood banks empty ever since they were raided last month." Liz explained. "We thought at the very least it would help keep the vampire population away."

"And it didn't?" Stefan asked.

"See for yourself." Liz said and walked away. They followed her into a room, on the bed lay a man obviously drained; blood was on the bed, the floor. Klaus narrowed his eyes. It was sloppy very sloppy. There was no need for such waste.

"There are four other victims in this wing. Each one, almost completely drained of blood." Liz explained. Klaus walked up and looked close over the body. This act was obvious very arrogant and careless. It seemed as though Silas was taunting them, daring them with his audacity. Klaus clenched his jaw, once again at a loss for how they were going to be able to deal with the two thousand year old creature.

"You think its Silas?" Liz asked. Klaus could hear a tremor of fear in her voice. He stared at the woman before him. He could see the same strength in her eyes that he often saw in Caroline. She was determined not to let her fear rule her. The only difference was, where Caroline was still young enough to be hopeful, her mother had seen enough of life to have a much more cynical outlook on things.

Damon and Stefan explained to her what Silas' plans were and Klaus knew they were wrong. Silas wasn't going to wait for the next full moon, whatever he was planning was going to happen much sooner.

Liz sighed and turned her attention to Klaus who was still studying the body, deep in thought. "When did you get back into town?" She practically accused, before he could answer she continued. "And why was your car outside of my house for most of the night last night?"

Damon grinned. "Busted." He taunted. "You've met Caroline's newest boyfriend, haven't you Liz?"

Liz glared at Klaus. "Carole Lockwood was a good friend of mine. I knew her for years." She stated. Klaus met her eyes and stood up, he wasn't going to lie or show weakness, not even for Caroline's mother, however, he also wasn't about to offer up any excuses.

"Could you excuse us for a few minutes?" Liz asked Damon and Stefan. The brothers exchanged a look and left the room, but they stayed close enough to hear what was going on, a fact Klaus was only too aware of.

"What kind of game are you playing with my daughter?" Liz demanded.

"There is no game." He stated.

"What do you want with her?" Klaus hesitated; he really didn't want to have the Salvatores listening to every word.

"I love her." He finally answered. Strangely enough the words didn't make him feel as weak as he thought they would.

Liz scoffed. "You love her? Do you even know what that word means?" She demanded. "If you loved her, you wouldn't have driven her boyfriend out of town, or killed his mother, or done any of the other things you have done that caused my daughter pain." She ended in a loud voice.

Klaus reminded himself to keep his temper. "None of these things change the fact that I am in love with your daughter and she is in love with me." He stated evenly. "I intend to try my very best to never hurt her again and I want her by my side."

"Try your very best?" Liz asked disbelieving. "What does that entail, only massacring people on Thursdays?"

"Sheriff, I understand your concern and I respect it, however the facts are what they are." Liz glared at Klaus.

"I may just be a human, but I'm telling you right now, if anything happens to my daughter because of you, I will find a way to destroy you." Liz told him seriously.

"If anything happens to your daughter because of me, I'll let you." Klaus told her just as serious. He thought he saw a flicker of something in her eyes that could possibly be understanding, but the hatred was back in a fraction of a second.

"As long as you know where I stand." Liz said firmly. "And I will be having words with Caroline about this." She walked out of the room to Damon and Stefan.

Klaus shook his head; this entire process was just exhausting. He pulled his phone out and texted Caroline. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but Stefan, Damon and her mother had him worried. It was one thing to be able to be together outside of Mystic Falls, or in the safety of her bedroom, but out here in the world there were constant reminders of what he had done and how hard this would be. What if she started having doubts? He needed to get this situation taken care of and quickly.

~.~

Caroline was at the Mystic Grill with Matt and Rebekah.

"Is it supposed to rain tonight?" Caroline asked.

"Do I look like a meteorologist?" Rebekah snapped.

Caroline sighed and looked over at Elena. She refused to think about what Rebekah would have to say if she knew about Caroline and her brother.

"Well, someone needs to do something before she explodes."

Rebekah looked over at Elena. "I got this." She said.

Caroline sighed again and rolled her eyes. Just then her phone beeped.

'**Where are you, luv?'**

Caroline smiled, she wondered if she'd ever get used to the idea that she was in a relationship with someone who cared about her as much as he did.

'**At the Grill watching Elena pretend a dart board is Katherine's face. Where are you?'**

She answered, hoping they were almost done with whatever they were up to so she could get this day over with.

'**At the hospital, you mother called Damon to come investigate some Silas related deaths. Had a lovely chat with her.'**

Caroline froze….

'**Oh no…' **She started to reply, but then another message came in.

'**Apparently she drove by to check on you last night and saw my car.'**

'**How bad was it?' **She typed, knowing it wouldn't be good.

'**Well, she didn't try to kill me, but she did threaten to try.'**

Caroline sighed.

'**We'll deal with it.'**

She really wished she knew how to explain her relationship to the others, but she didn't really understand it herself. She loved him and she wanted to be with him, but she really didn't have any answers for the rest of it and she knew she was going to need them. How would she explain to her mother how she could be in a relationship with someone who killed Tyler's mom? It was so much easier when they were outside of Mystic Falls.

'**I miss you. I'm thinking it's about time to call this day at an end and regroup.'**

She typed in. She knew that she needed to talk to Klaus about all of this. Even though it would be easier outside of Mystic Falls, she wasn't going to just run away so she could have her relationship in peace. She knew she'd never get everyone's blessing, she probably wouldn't even ever be able to get most of them to understand, but she wasn't going to run away from it.

'**Well, then finish up with the boys and have them come claim Elena and we can go regroup. I miss you, too.'**

She smiled at her phone. They would figure it out somehow. She looked over to where Elena and Rebekah had been talking. Elena had been fixated on Katherine all day. Almost every object she came in contact with she would plan five different ways to kill Katherine with it. The fact that she wouldn't even be able to get near the older vampire unless she let her, was completely lost on Elena.

She caught the tail end of their conversation.

"…we aren't friends…"

Caroline had enough. She walked over.

"What about us? Are we still friends?" Caroline hesitated. "All those things you said when your humanity was off, is that how you really feel?"

Elena barely looked at her, she couldn't meet her eyes. "Caroline, I really don't feel like going down memory lane."

Caroline felt the anger rise up in her. Elena was supposed to be her friend and Caroline knew she had been through a lot and lost so much, but this attitude she had, this professional victim, professional martyr was getting old.

"Well, what about when you said, and I quote 'You're a repulsive, bloodsucking, control freak monster'. Did you really mean those things?"

Elena focused on the dart board in front of her. Caroline wanted to rip the darts out of her hand. Elena lowered the dart slowly.

"If you're waiting for an apology, you're not going to get one. I can't let myself feel bad, because if I feel bad, I feel everything. We've all seen how well I handle that."

"So you're just going to hide behind this vendetta for Katherine?" Caroline snapped. "Because you can't face your emotions?"

"Look Caroline," Elena snapped. "Why don't you just run off and find Klaus and the boys, so you don't have to babysit me. We both know you'd rather be with him anyway."

"Yeah, because he's been there for me a lot more than you have lately."

"Really? Can't wait to see you sell that one to Tyler." Elena about growled.

Then Rebekah interrupted. "Wait, Nik is in town?" She all but growled.

"Yah, he got here last night." Caroline answered.

"Tell her the rest." Elena said as another dart sunk into the board.

Caroline glared at her. "We're together now." Caroline said looking at Rebekah.

"Oh, that is just perfect." Rebekah said. "He destroys my dreams, destroys all of my relationships for centuries and then when HE decides its ok gets involved with someone like you." Her voice dripped with disdain. "So much for your first love Tyler."

"Look, I can't believe he gave Silas the cure and I'm not saying that it's ok. He's here now to help us get rid of Silas and maybe we can get the cure back for you."

"Unless he wants it to start bleeding me again." Elena commented.

"He already said he didn't." Caroline almost yelled defensively.

"Are you sure this isn't just some revenge?" Rebekah asked thoughtfully. "I would actually be willing to help you with that."

"Revenge on what? Your brother? I'm not playing him."

"No revenge on Tyler for knocking up that werewolf Hayley."

"Excuse me?" Caroline asked. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, my brother didn't tell you?" Rebekah laughed delightedly. "This is too much fun."

"What are you talking about, Rebekah?" Caroline demanded.

"The reason Nik went down to New Orleans was because a group of witches wanted his help to take out an old protégé of Nik's. They were going to use HIS baby with Hayley as blackmail. But come to find out it wasn't his, it was Tyler's."

Caroline stared at her in absolute shock. Hayley was having Tyler's baby? Tyler slept with Hayley? KLAUS slept with Hayley?

Rage, like she never experienced welled up inside of her. She grabbed the remaining darts from Elena and threw them at the board so hard it actually cracked. Her vision narrowed to points. Elena actually seemed concerned, while Rebekah just stared at her with amusement.

"Caroline, are you ok?"

She couldn't answer.

"Care," Elena hissed, "your fangs are out."

"Oh, she can't hear you." Rebekah said. "She's caught up in sheer jealousy and rage. She must really love my brother…or Tyler. This is what happens when you come between two vampire mates."

Caroline fought for control, she could hear their conversation, but the anger was like a howling force inside of her. She fought it back and took several deep breaths.

"Excuse me." She said. She took out her phone and walked off to the bathrooms.

"This is going to be interesting." Rebekah said with a laugh.

Caroline dialed as she walked away. "I'm trying to get away as fast as possible." Klaus answered. "I can't wait to see you."

She felt the rage coming back. "You slept with Hayley." She growled into the phone.

There was silence. "How did you find out?" He asked, and it was all she could do not to punch through the wall.

"Your sister."

"She should have minded her own business."

"YOU SLEPT WITH HAYLEY!" Caroline yelled. "They thought she was having your baby?!"

"YES!" He yelled back. "I was going to tell you, but it wasn't like we've had a spare moment since I arrived."

"Really, what about this morning?" She demanded.

"Caroline, I…"

"No, you didn't tell me because you knew that was going to be a deal breaker for me." She snapped. "If she had been pregnant with your baby, I would have NEVER, EVER gotten involved with you."

"I know that." Klaus growled. "It ripped me apart knowing that, when I thought it was mine. That's why as soon as I found out it wasn't, that it was your boyfriend's, I vowed to do everything in my power to come and convince you to be with me. The thought that I would never have the chance made me realize how much I wanted to be with you."

"You made Tyler leave town for what he did, and then slept with Hayley, who orchestrated the whole thing?" She snapped.

Klaus sighed. "I'm coming to get you. We will talk about this when I get there."

"Oh, now you want to talk." She snapped.

"Caroline…." He yelled frustrated and worried now.

Then there was nothing. The lights went out. Caroline looked around surprised and saw they had lost the connection. Furious, she turned to walk back out into the bar and ran into…herself.

"Silas." She gasped. The rage was still flowing through her, but so was the fear.

"Did we really think we could have Klaus on a leash?" It was horrifying to see her own face taunting her. "I wonder if he told Hayley all the same lines he fed us?"

"Get away from me!" Caroline snapped. She was about to yell out or try to get past him, but he grabbed her and pushed her back into the kitchen.

"Well, he must care about us somewhat. He was supposed to stay away and stay out of this and I was going to leave him alone." She saw her own face look her up and down considering. "I could have told him, he was right, love is a weakness." She grinned a grin that Caroline knew she would never be able to do, it was evil. "Let's just show him how much."

Silas picked up a knife. "I want you to start cutting and keep cutting until I tell you to stop." Caroline felt the fear inside her pick up as she automatically took the knife and started running it over her wrists.

"There you go." Silas said. "Now I'm going out to have some fun. Too bad you are going to miss the ending, but if I have time, I'll come back to watch Klaus' devastation over your mangled body." She smiled and walked out. Caroline sunk to the floor and kept dragging the blade over her arms.


	8. Chapter 6B

Chapter 6B:

**A/N: Thank you as always for the nice comments. Sorry this didn't go up last night, but I hope you enjoy the second half. **

**I'm going to try and get the next to last chapter up by Sunday. I have a horrible work schedule the next 3 days at a horrible and depressing job and I may need some nature therapy after that, but I'm going to try.**

Klaus heard the line go dead and almost smashed the phone in frustration. He was going to put his sister in a box and leave it at the bottom of the ocean. The lights were out, but he barely noticed. He had to get to the Grill and speak with Caroline.

He went to leave and then Stefan stopped him. "I don't know what just happened, although I have a pretty good idea from that conversation, but you can't leave yet."

Klaus noticed the chaos going on around him. "This is Silas." He growled in realization and it made him more determined to get to Caroline.

"She's with the others, they are fine right now." Stefan said. "We need to get to the bottom of this and quickly before it gets out of control."

Klaus looked up and saw Caroline's mother glaring at him. Just what he needed another reason for her to hate him after hearing his side of that conversation. Just then her phone rang and he could hear Caroline on the other side asking about the outages. He wanted to ask to speak with her, but was certain that wasn't going to happen. When they finished their conversation and he heard her mother say she loved her, he picked up his phone and dialed her back. It went straight to voicemail.

"Someone's in the dog house." Damon taunted.

"Look, let's just find out what's going on first." Stefan told Klaus. "Then we can calmly decide how to proceed."

Klaus shook his head. Stefan was right. He had to get control over his emotions, she was clouding his judgment. Someone brought the Sheriff some maps and they talked for a moment before she spread them out and began speaking to the three vampires. Klaus knew even before she finished what she was going to say. Someone had activated the Expression Triangle.

The Bennett witch and Katerina working together was only a bothersome nuisance. Klaus was certain despite what they believed that Silas was behind this. The Bennett Witch probably thought she was sneaking around behind him, but a creature like Silas, would be aware of everything. These children were fools.

Stefan called Elena and had her and Caroline meet him at the school. Klaus tried to call Caroline several more times, but it went straight to voicemail. He didn't want her at the school, he wanted her somewhere safe, but he remembered his conversation earlier with Stefan, she would be safer with them.

Before they left the sheriff grabbed him. "If you really do love my daughter, you'll keep her safe." She said.

He nodded. "You need to stay safe as well." He stated and she looked surprised. "She was devastated last night at the thought of something happening to you. I don't want to see her in that much pain again."

Liz clenched her jaw, whether at the reminder of the night before or the thought of her daughter in pain, but she nodded stiffly. They shared a brief moment and then he walked away.

~.~

They arrived at the school at the same time, Elena walked out to meet them.

"Where's Caroline?" He demanded.

"Inside looking for Bonnie." Elena yelled over the howling wind. Klaus flashed off to find her. He found her standing in the dark in the cafeteria.

"Caroline…" He began.

"We don't have time for this now." She snapped. "And I don't want to talk to you right now."

"You have to listen to me."

"NO! I don't." Her voice was colder than he ever heard it and when she turned her eyes were flat, almost dead, it stopped him cold. "I'm worried about my friends right now and the impending Apocalypse, on a Buffy level, given the fact we're standing in my high school. I don't have time for this drama."

"Do not shut me out!" Klaus ordered.

She laughed at him and the cold tone in her laugh almost scared him. "Do not order me around." She turned away from him. "I don't even want to see you right now."

Stefan entered the room. "Hey, there you guys are. Any luck?" He knew he was interrupting, but he needed them focused. "Klaus, why don't you go help Elena and Damon search outside, keep them on task."

Klaus went to protest, but Stefan gave him a look. Klaus clenched his jaw and Stefan knew he understood. Stefan would keep Caroline safe and the two of them together right now would accomplish nothing. Klaus glared at Caroline's back, but knew they had to worry about this situation.

He looked back at Caroline again. He wanted to kiss her, he wanted to take her in his arms and reassure her and tell her he loved her, but he didn't. He left quickly.

Once he was gone, Caroline turned slowly around. "I've searched the whole school." She told Stefan. "She should be here."

Just then they heard a noise.

"What was that?" She asked. They walked slowly into the school's kitchen and opened up one of the coolers.

"Hmm," Stefan said. "Ice is melting."

"Argh." Caroline said. "It just doesn't make any sense; this is the center of the triangle. If she's going to do the spell, she HAS to do it here. This is where they should be!"

"Actually, I think we're in the right place, just the wrong elevation." Stefan said. They both looked at the drain below their feet and then started moving.

"Are you ok?" Stefan asked.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Caroline answered.

"Seemed like you and Klaus were having trouble already."

"It's nothing." Caroline said dismissively.

Stefan gave her a strange look and they walked in silence.

~.~

Klaus found Damon and Elena outside fighting over Katherine. Elena really was the most annoying and weak of the Doppelgangers. He heard Damon tell her that Bonnie and Katherine were together which finally got her to agree to begin searching. Just then Damon's phone rang. Klaus could hear Stefan on the other end. Damon smiled.

"Of course, they're underneath us."

The three of them took off into the school and towards the boiler room, per Elena's information. They had to stop again while Damon commanded Elena not to go down below. It took everything for Klaus not to break her neck and drag Damon off. He watched them argue impatiently.

"What if killing Katherine takes away all that grief and guilt?" Elena asked. "What if killing Katherine finally lets me feel all the good things that I've lost?"

She pleaded with Damon and Klaus could see him weakening. Would this happen to him? Would he lose all commons sense by letting Caroline in? He already was making decisions that he wouldn't normally make because of her. For example, letting this conversation go on as long as it had.

"It doesn't work like that." He interrupted them. He could tell they almost forgot he was here. "While I never much cared for you Elena, I never took you for being stupid. Do you seriously think bloodshed and murder will destroy guilt and pain?" He scoffed at her.

Elena glared at him and looked pleadingly at Damon. Klaus saw him steel himself against her. "She's strong and crafty and you'll die." Damon said with finality. Elena stood there for a moment and drove a stake into Damon's stomach before dashing off.

Klaus felt his frustration boil over with these children. He needed to end this now. He went to take off after Elena towards the basement and Caroline, but then froze as the air filled with energy. Damon rolled over grunting, but Klaus didn't move sniffing the air. He knew what was happening. He heard the footsteps, before he saw him. Alaric Saltzman gave him a considering look before kneeling down next to Damon. "Need a hand?" He said.

Klaus tuned out their conversation as he debated what to do. If Alaric was here, obviously the veil had been lowered. This meant that anything was possible at this moment.

He heard Alaric explain. "Well, not completely. Its only down inside the Expression Triangle, if I step outside, it's back to Ghost World."

"Well, where is everybody?" Damon asked. "With the veil down I thought it'd be Ghostapalooza."

"Well, not every ghost has a reason to come back to Mystic Falls. Just the ones like me, who are looking after their idiot best friends."

Damon nodded and looked over at Klaus. "I'm more worried about the one's looking out for their enemies."

Klaus glared at both of them. He needed to get down to stop Silas, but at this point if Caroline was down there, he could lead trouble right to her. How had this day turned into this?

Mystic Falls.

God, he hated this town.

~.~

Rebekah walked slowly into the kitchen in the Grill. She found the First Aid kit in a matter of moments, and then heard a noise. She shined the flash light around the room and then saw Caroline sitting on the floor.

"Caroline, how are you still here…?" Her voice trailed off as she saw what the other girl was doing. Blood covered her wrist and she kept slashing the knife over her skin.

"Oh my god!" Rebekah breathed out.

"I have to keep cutting." Caroline said and her face was blank as she dragged the knife over her skin again.

Rebekah grabbed Caroline and pulled her along behind her as she burst from the kitchen. Matt looked up in surprise at the noise.

"Get the others on the phone." Rebekah yelled. "Silas is with them."

Matt was on the phone to Damon in a heartbeat. Rebekah sat Caroline down.

"Caroline! Hey! Snap out of it." She said desperately.

"I need to bleed." Caroline said in a dead voice. "Silas needs me to bleed, to show Klaus."

"Stop it, you're hallucinating!" Rebekah said.

Caroline grabbed for the knife. "Just let me do this." She said. "I need to do this."

"You are going to cut your hands off!" Rebekah shouted, pushing her back away from the knife.

Matt was speaking quickly into the phone. "She's been here the whole time. That means Silas is with you."

~.~

"Perfect." Damon stated. He looked at Klaus who was shaking with rage. He could hear Matt continue on the other end, explaining that his brother was back looking for Elena. Klaus wondered if his parents were here too, plotting his own end.

"You got any good news for me Donavan?" Damon asked.

"We'll handle this, just watch your back." Matt hung up.

"I'm going to Caroline." Klaus stated.

"I'd hold up a minute there." Damon stopped him. "You may be the only one who can see through Silas' tricks. I'd say it's time to go for broke here."

Klaus glared at him. "Caroline is torturing herself at his command!" He yelled, he left unspoken that it was for his benefit.

"And if we can get rid of Silas that will stop." Damon reasoned. "Look, I hate to admit it, but you are the only one who stands even a remote chance in hell of going toe to toe with him. We need you here to end this once and for all."

"And just leave Caroline alone?"

"She's not alone. She's got your sister and Matt. You always seem to think that leading with your emotions is a bad idea, so why don't you follow your own advice and see what you can come up with?"

Klaus looked at him for a moment; he was gone in an instant. Damon handed the phone to Alaric and asked him to call Stefan. By the time they finished their conversation and Alaric had hung up there was a noise, they both watched as a huge black wolf came out from around the corner. It growled at both of them.

"Are you sure this was a good idea?" Alaric asked nervously. "I can't die, but I'd prefer not be poisoned the entire time I'm here."

Damon stared at Klaus. "You got it under control there?" Klaus in wolf form just stared at him, but Damon could see intelligence in his yellow eyes. "Good, if we get this done, I'll buy you a chew toy." Klaus growled again.

~.~

"Let go of me!" Caroline yelled struggling against Rebekah.

"Have you tried compelling?" Matt asked.

"I can't. She's on vervain."

"Let me go." She pushed at Rebekah.

"Look Caroline, you're graduating and…and Uncle Bob and Aunt Mary really want you to graduate with both your hands!"

"I need to keep cutting." Caroline said. "I need to keep cutting. I need to keep cutting."

Finally frustrated Rebekah pulled her off the stool. "STOP!"

"I need…" Rebekah slapped her across the face, hard.

"UH!" Caroline almost spun around with the force of the hit. Caroline stood back up breathing hard. She looked at Rebekah. "BITCH!" She snapped.

Rebekah breathed a sigh of relief. "There is the Caroline I know and loathe." She said.

"Well, that isn't how I would have handled the situation, but it did get the job done." The three of them looked up in shock as Elijah entered the building.

"What are you doing here?" Rebekah asked.

"Niklaus asked me to come. He thought he might need the help."

"So he asked you to look after his girlfriend?" Rebekah snarked.

"Yes, he called a few moments ago and said there was some trouble here." Elijah said. "He also mentioned you were here as well."

"Please, he doesn't care if I'm in trouble."

"You weren't in trouble Rebekah. Caroline was. And Niklaus has done something unprecedented to try and stop this, to try and stop Silas."

"Really?" Rebekah asked derisively. "For her?"

"Is he ok?" Caroline asked concerned, forgetting her earlier rage for after what had just happened. "We need to go…" She started to move towards the door, but Elijah stopped her.

"You will be staying right here." He told her firmly, and then looked at his sister. "If he can, he will get the cure for you, but right now we have bigger things to worry about."

"I don't believe that."

"Whether you believe it or not, it's what he's going to do. But his first concern is ending Silas."

Caroline tried to pull away from his grip, but it was like steel. "Why don't we sit down and relax?" Elijah said watching her. "We have some time."

Caroline sighed aggravated.

~.~

Down below Bonnie heard Damon yelling out her name. Silas changed again into Alaric and took off looking for Damon after ensuring Bonnie wasn't getting up.

After he was gone, Bonnie started to breathe again. She heard her grandmother's voice in her ear. She stood up and hugged her. Just then a large wolf ran into the room. Bonnie gasped. Her grandmother glared at the wolf.

"He's not here." She said. "He's gone after the others."

"Who is that?" Bonnie breathed.

"It's Klaus." Her gran told her with disdain. "The other witches are holding your parents back, even they know what will happen if they get free again."

Klaus tilted his head watching her.

"We can take Silas down." She continued. "But you'll need to distract him. Can you do that?"

It was almost even more frightening to see what could almost be described as a grin on the wolf's face before he bounded off. Bonnie's gran looked at her. "Your friend Caroline is in for quite the adventure." She said.

"Huh?"

"You can still stop Silas." Her gran said, turning back to Bonnie.

Klaus heard the struggle before he got there. He couldn't really think clearly in this form, but he could think. He understood the witches had a plan and all he had to do was keep Silas busy. In this form, the urge to tear through skin, especially the skin of the one who hurt his Caroline was overwhelming. He sped up and came upon Damon with a chain wrapped around Alaric's neck. They had been right, in his wolf form, Klaus could see Alaric, but he could see blackness all around him, signaling it was Alaric. Klaus growled and heard Bonnie come up behind him and start casting. Silas stood up in pain, grabbing at his neck. He lunged for Bonnie before Damon could move and Klaus leapt at him ripping through his throat. Silas gurgled out a scream and struggled to reach for Bonnie, but Bonnie kept chanting. Silas managed to throw Klaus off of him and into the wall; he hit it hard, but immediately rolled over and prepared to attack again, before realizing it wasn't necessary. The werewolf venom and the attack, along with the witches spell seemed to be slowing him down. Klaus circled him cautiously in case it was a trick. Silas groaned and grabbed the wall, covering his face as Bonnie completed the spell.

They stared in silence for a moment, making sure it was over. Damon looked at Klaus. "Thanks. You can probably get back to being human again. I'd feel a bit more comfortable with you in the other form."

Klaus trotted off.

"When did that happen?" He heard Bonnie ask.

"Apparently, when you cast your little spell for prom." Damon answered dryly.

~.~

Matt's phone rang and everyone waited with baited breath while he talked. They heard Damon explain that it was over. Bonnie had managed to petrify Silas and they could finally put him down somewhere he wouldn't be bothering them again. The others would be heading back to the Grill shortly.

Caroline breathed a sigh of relief that Klaus and all her friends were ok. She saw Elijah watching her with a smile.

"What?" She asked.

"I'm just curious about the woman who captured my brother's heart after a thousand years." He said. "It was strange seeing him in New Orleans broken hearted." Caroline froze at the reminder of New Orleans and Klaus sleeping with Hayley. She felt the rage building up in her again. Klaus had slept with Hayley.

Elijah watched her face as she struggled. "Well, I'm sure the thought of a baby distracted him enough." She growled. If anything, the amusement in Elijah seemed to grow.

"He was willing to take responsibility for his actions, but he knew that you would never accept what had happened. That was what led to his heartbreak, before then he had comforted himself with the thought that he had time to for the two of you to come together again." He tilted his head. "Truth be told, at first I thought being a father would be good for him, but when I saw the cold determination on his face when he believed he had lost you for good, I was more afraid of him than I had ever been. He would have been no good as a father like that, without any love in his heart."

Klaus had said something similar and Caroline tried to rationalize. He had slept with Hayley before they were together. She had still been with Tyler. Unfortunately, the rage didn't diminish much. The thought of Hayley touching him made her want to….

What?

Caroline was confused as she battled her emotions. Rip Hayley apart? Make Klaus hers? That made no sense.

"Can we please talk about something else?" She asked through gritted teeth.

"Of course, I don't mean to cause you distress."

She almost growled at him.

~.~

They met up at the cemetery and tried to come up with a plan for Silas. Klaus had thrown on his pants, but stood there shirtless. Part of the trade for being in control when he was in wolf form was the overpowering animal urges when he came back to himself. He could hear them discussing things, but he was still concentrating hard on his control. Part of him wanted to rip all of them apart for the sheer joy of it. Part of him wanted to run through the woods and be free. Mostly, he wanted to find Caroline and show her that Hayley meant nothing and that she belonged to him and only him. He wanted to make her his. His mate. He wanted to make sure she was his for eternity.

"Well, let's do what we should've done with Klaus and drop him the ocean." He heard Stefan say, but couldn't even be bothered to respond to the taunt. He had to focus on not running off to find Caroline.

"I should go make sure Kol's body is somewhere safe until the veil goes back up." Stefan said.

"No." Klaus ground out. They had all been giving him a wide berth seeming to understand his control was shaky right now. "I'll take care of my brother. You go to the Grill and make sure Caroline is all right and Elijah gets her home safe." He turned to walk away before turning back, his eyes kept flashing yellow. "HER home." He stated. "I can't be around her right now."

Elena sighed as he went for his brother. "As much as I hate him and I hate to admit it, he does seem to care about Caroline." She said, and then looked at Stefan. "Stefan…" she began. They stared at each other for a few moments. He nodded at her. "I'll come back."

~.~

Stefan entered the Grill, it was completely silent, then Caroline came out. "Good, you're here. We need to celebrate."

"Yeah, I'm not really in the mood to celebrate." Stefan said.

"What's wrong with you?" Caroline demanded. She needed this. She needed the distraction to keep the images of Klaus and Hayley from driving her mad. "Silas is dead or whatever and you're just sitting here, like a bump on a log."

"Where's Elijah?" Stefan asked.

Caroline rolled her eyes. "He's on the phone. Probably with Klaus or one of their witches in New Orleans." Her eyes changed color for a moment as she fought for control.

Stefan smiled at her slightly. "Klaus wants you to go back to your house. He's going to have Elijah take you."

"Really?" Caroline snapped.

"He can't be around you right now." Stefan explained. "He went into wolf form for us and his control isn't real good."

Caroline scoffed. "So are you going to tell me what's wrong with you or not?" She asked.

"There was someone I thought that I would see today and I didn't. That's all."

"You better mean me." A voice said behind him. Caroline smiled at the two friends and acknowledged Lexie's thanks.

Elijah came out of the back off the phone. "Miss Forbes, I've been instructed to take you home." He stated. He nodded at Stefan and Lexie.

"It's Caroline." She said. "And that's fine, but we're going to your house."

"That isn't what I was told." Elijah stated.

She turned around and raised her eyebrows at him. "I don't really care what you've been told. You can either take me to your house now, or take me to my house and keep me there by force, but I will get out and I am going to find your brother, right…now…" She stated.

"I believe I'm going to enjoy having you around, Caroline." Elijah said trying out her first name. "But the fact remains, my brother needs to get control before you can be around him."

Caroline stepped up to Elijah. "Your brother won't hurt me and I'm not about to let the conversation we need to have get put off any longer."

Elijah stared at her. She was very confident that Niklaus wouldn't hurt her and Elijah had to agree with her. His brother cared too much about her.

"All right then." He agreed. "We should go." Caroline smiled at him in thanks.

"Good night Stefan." She said.

"Good night, Caroline." He answered. "Be careful."

"It's not me you have to worry about." She said.

"You know," Lexie said, "I'm not sure that I wouldn't put my money on that girl even facing down Niklaus Mikaelson."

Stefan smiled. "She is one of a kind."

~.~

Klaus pulled up to his house, relieved his brother's car was already there. He wanted to give him care of Kol and then he needed to go out and hunt. He got out of the car and leaned against it breathing deep. He wanted to take off after Caroline, but he had to get control. He would see her first thing in the morning.

He entered the house and found his brother sitting in the study, sipping on a glass of scotch. He opened his mouth to speak to him when he heard a large crash.

"WHAT IS THAT?" He yelled.

Elijah smiled at him. "That would be Caroline."

"I told you to take her home." Klaus growled and stepped towards his brother menacingly, just then there was another loud crash. He spun around, his brother forgotten. He took off up the stairs, control forgotten.

Elijah finished his drink and stood up, certain he didn't want to be a witness to what was going to occur. He had watched the young vampire fight for control earlier when the subject of Hayley had come up and he recognized the signs immediately. She was his brother's mate. At first he had been uncertain and had agreed with Klaus to keep her away from him, but when she stood up to him and demanded he bring her here, he knew. They were silent the entire car ride and as soon as they entered the house he saw a look of rage come over her.

"His bedroom is up the stairs…" He had started to explain to her, but she had already flashed off and Elijah had poured a drink until his brother arrived.

He walked outside and looked back at the house once when he heard another loud crash. His only hope was the left it standing. He got to his brother's car and noticed the trunk was open. He sighed and opened his cell phone. He needed to let the other's know Kol had gotten loose. He looked back at the house again, but figured the veil would be up soon and as distracted at the two of them were, if someone attempted to interfere right now, they would probably be ripped to shreds.

~.~

Caroline rode with Elijah in silence. The rage was back and worse than ever. All she could think about was Klaus and Hayley having sex in his bed. His bed that was in his house, where they were going to.

They arrived at the house and Caroline got her bearings for a moment. She knew she should speak to Elijah, but then she could see in her mind Hayley in this house, with her little pout and that whispering whiny voice she used. Caroline wished she was here now so she could rip the girl's lips right off her face. The pout wouldn't look so cute then.

She heard Elijah say something to her, but she couldn't even focus on his words right now. She flashed up the stairs following her nose to Klaus' room. She flew in the door and knew immediately it was the right one. She could smell him everywhere.

Her eyes fell on the bed, the bed he had sex with that bitch in. All rational thought left her as she flashed over and ripped the sheets and the bedding off of it, she tore through them easily, and tossed the rags on the floor behind her. It wasn't enough. She grabbed the mattress and threw it up, hearing the satisfying crash as it hit a table when she threw it, knocking the contents onto the ground.

It still wasn't enough. She grabbed the heavy wooden headboard and yanked it away from the wall, happy with the satisfying sensation of the wood breaking apart. She stood there breathing heavily for a moment. This was what she needed, she needed to destroy all the evidence, and she needed to destroy the scene of the crime. She grabbed another chunk of the head board and broke it off, throwing it behind her. The box spring was next; she tilted it up and over.

All of a sudden the door slammed open and she spun around. She knew her fangs were out and her eyes were black, but she was too far gone to even consider pulling them in. She stood there staring at Klaus standing in the doorway to his room, taking in the devastation she had just created. He had no shirt on and there was dried blood on his chest, his or someone else's she couldn't tell. His eyes were flashing yellow and she could see the anger in his face as he took in her standing in the middle of his room.

She gave him a smile. "Sorry, I ruined your little love nest." She snapped. She grabbed another piece of the bed and kicked it. Who knew splintering wood could be so therapeutic?

"I told you to go home." He growled at her.

"Why, were you expecting company again?" She yelled. "Another werewolf slut?" She continued breaking things apart.

She could see him struggling for control and that made her even more furious for some reason.

"I'm sorry I didn't live like a monk while you were with Tyler." He snapped.

"Tyler wasn't here. He was gone because YOU made him leave!" She shouted.

He flashed across to her and had her slammed up against the wall, it knocked the wind out of her.

"That's really what this is all about, isn't it?" He screamed. "Tyler, and the fact that he now has a little one on the way, with Hayley."

Caroline slapped him hard across the face and stomped on his foot taking him by surprise, she got a bit of space when he backed up.

"No, this is about that cunt's hands on you!" She screamed back at him. For a second she saw surprise enter his yellow eyes, but by then it was too much. Caroline launched herself at him. Her mouth found his and she knew that she broke the skin on his lips with her fangs, but she didn't care. She tasted his blood against her tongue and she pushed it deeper into his mouth feeling his fangs prick her as well. As their blood combined in her mouth, all control left her. All rational thought left her. All there was was an all consuming need.

She dug her fingernails across his shoulders, digging into the flesh there. His hands were on her hips pulling her against him so tight she was certain to have bruises. She felt something hard against her back and realized they were back against the wall again. She used it as leverage and wrapped her legs around his waist and let go of her clawed grip on his shoulders to pull him tighter against her. She felt his hands move and suddenly she could feel his skin against her chest. He must have shredded her shirt, but she didn't care about the how; she just needed to feel more of his skin against her. The cuts on their tongue and lips must have healed up because she didn't taste anymore blood. She realized she needed to. She pulled back panting and saw he was in the same state she was.

When Klaus had realized she was here, he barely had time to really wander about the crashing noises before he flashed up the stairs. When he found her standing there completely vamped out, her hair a disheveled mess around her, and breathing heavily, he couldn't move. She was the most beautiful and amazing thing he had ever seen.

Her acidic words reached his ears and he immediately reacted with anger, trying to shove the down the overpowering lust that was crashing through him. When she screamed at him about Tyler everything broke. He reacted determined to push Lockwood from her mind. The slap brought him back from his daze and gave her the opportunity to push him back.

When she screamed at him about Hayley, he had been stunned. Was she claiming him?

Then he felt her hot in his arms, a prick of pain on his lips and everything disappeared but her and the need to consume her.

Now he stared at her. She stood there topless panting at him, her eyes were glazed, but there was hunger in them. The both reached for the other's pants at the same moment, ripping away buttons and tearing at zippers. Caroline actually moved slightly faster when his fingers got tangled in their haste. She pushed the pants down over his hips, she felt her fingernails drag a bit and scratch him, but he didn't seem to mind, unless she was misreading the growl. She got an evil grin, that growl went straight between her legs; the sound of it felt like it was actually vibrating against her skin. She drug her nails a bit harder as got to her knees and looked up at him. She was rewarded with a deeper growl. She kneeled before him and was overwhelmed by the smell of him, sweat, lust and Klaus. She nuzzled his thigh and felt his hands tangle in her hair. Her mouth literally started to water and she felt the urge to dig her fangs into his thigh and taste his blood while surrounded by his musk. She went so far as to run a fang up his thigh and felt him buck towards her. She realized that she had risen up enough that his manhood was right next to her cheek. She stared up at him as she opened her mouth and ran just the tip of her tongue and the tip of one fang run up the length of him. His breathing was coming out in sharp pants, it was all the encouragement she needed to open her mouth and take him deep inside. She allowed her fangs to run up his length and only her occupation with what she was doing stopped the grin from coming to her face when the pants turned into gasps. She had barely gotten into her task when he pulled her away and ripped the jeans from her. She was pressed back against the wall before he even realized what happened.

He had her naked and shoved three fingers inside of her testing her readiness. It wasn't gentle or sweet, but the contact had her bucking her hips towards him and the violence of his movements when he discovered how wet she was almost had her coming before he withdrew. She whimpered and whined against him, and then suddenly he was inside of her. She was pushed back against the wall with the force of his thrusts pushing her back so hard she felt the wood behind her start to crack. She knew he was caught up in her and shifted her weight and pushed until they spun and he was against the wall. She wasn't about to give up control now. She rocked herself against him. On some level she knew her nails were embedded into his skin as she rose and fell over him. He grabbed her tightly and his tongue was in her mouth distracting her from the fact that they had spun again and this time she was back against the wall. She pushed against him and they both stumbled and she felt herself falling. They landed on the floor with her on top of him, somehow never stopping the movement of their hips.

The pleasure, the pressure and the need kept building up inside Caroline and she pulled back abruptly, as if sensing a change, Klaus rolled them, pinning her to the ground. She felt his hands move behind her sweeping away any debris. The act of consideration when she knew he was as lost as she was, struck Caroline and she yanked her mouth away from his. She met his eyes for a brief instant and then she couldn't take it anymore. Caroline sunk her fangs into his neck. As his blood coated her tongue she felt her body convulse in pleasure and felt a sharp prick on her should and his fangs buried themselves inside of her.

C airline sucked deep needing to have him deep inside of her in all ways as her bliss faded. Except it didn't fade, she could feel the pleasure building inside of her. Her body moved on its own and she knew that his did as well. She knew he was spearing her down below as well as in her neck and she could taste him on her throat and his blood moving through her. She finally ripped her mouth away from his flesh and let out a loud yell, unable to contain everything running through her. She felt her pleasure crest and felt his fangs rip out of her skin. She scored his back holding him tight against her, his own yell was screamed in her ear.

Then everything went white. She knew he was there with her. She felt, deep inside o f her that he was her's. He belonged to her.

Her body relaxed as she cradled him to her, holding him tight.


	9. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

**A/N: I apologize for the delay. I had drama in my universe. Things have calmed, but I'm not so happy with this chapter. I knew where I wanted it to go and I got it there, but the process was not easy. It feels forced and very repetitive in parts, so I apologize for that as well. I've rewritten it four times now and I'm just going to go with it and move on.**

**There will be one more chapter at Graduation and an Epilogue. If I can't get the flow back by then I'm gonna scrap a sequel until I get back my muse.**

**As always, thanks to everyone for the nice comments, follows and favs!**

First, Caroline was aware of a hard, uncomfortable surface below her. There were random points of pain underneath her from debris. Her hands were cramped and she realized that they were almost clawed, her finger nails were embedded in Klaus' skin as if to hold him to her. She very carefully, pulled them away and wiggled them to get the blood flowing.

At her action, she felt a sigh of breath along her neck where his head was buried.

She turned her head slightly and surveyed the damage she had wrought to his room. Her mind was almost blank, though she fought to try and process what had happened.

She felt him stir and he lifted his weight off of her enough to look down at her. She turned her head to meet his eyes. He stared at her for a long moment, considering, studying.

"Are you all right?" He asked quietly.

She nodded. She hadn't quite found her voice yet, it seemed to have left with her thought process.

He sat up on his heels and she felt a bit bereft at the loss of contact.

"I'll be right back." He said and flashed out of the room, not caring about his nakedness. She slowly stood up and brushed some of the splinters and feathers that had stuck to her off the places she could reach on her back.

Once again she surveyed the damage she had caused. She waited for the embarrassment, the shame about her actions to come, but they didn't. Instead, all she felt was a deep sense of satisfaction. A small smile crossed her face as she realized that he would never again be sleeping in the bed he shared with that whore.

Klaus came back in the room and stopped at what he saw. Caroline stood there amidst the chaos, naked, her hair tousled and messed, feathers and pieces of wood and debris stuck to her, a small trail of dried blood, HIS blood, and her head held high with a regal smile of pride on her features.

He took in every detail of her, knowing that he would have to draw this moment, to keep it with him forever. She realized he was back and turned her head to look at him. For a moment her smile faltered, and doubt crossed her eyes, but then it was gone. Her smile returned and her eyes seemed to challenge him, daring him to say something.

He grinned back at her and crossed over to her. He stared into her eyes, not accepting her challenge, but not backing down either. He lowered his head and licked the bit of blood from her chin before kissing her deeply. He pulled back and her eyes had softened. He took her hand and led her from the room and down the hall to another bedroom. He led her through that room and into the ensuite bath. He already had the water running and she was pliant as he picked her up and carefully lay her down in the water.

Caroline relaxed in the warm water and Klaus slowly and carefully began washing her. It felt so good. She felt so pampered. He tilted her head back and poured water slowly over her head before massaging shampoo in her scalp. Some part of her wanted to marvel at the tenderness and intimacy he was showing her, but it actually just felt _right_.

While she didn't understand exactly what had just happened between them, she knew that everything had shifted. She felt he belonged to her, she felt it inside of herself, and she knew she belonged to him in the same way.

He finished washing her and rinsed her hair thoroughly, then pulled the drain to let the water out. The experience had been sensual and intimate, but yet not sexual. The intimacy was compounded by the fact, that except for closing her eyes to avoid the shampoo, they never broke eye contact.

She stood up and he followed her lead. She turned on the shower and pulled him in with her. She copied his actions and proceeded to wash him. She washed away the dried blood and the smell of violence from him, she had him turn around to rinse while she washed his hair and his back side. She ran her soapy hands over every inch of him and just luxuriated in the feel of his skin.

When he was clean and rinsed she turned off the water and they both grabbed towels, drying themselves and each other off. Once dry, he picked her up in his arms and carried her to the bed, laying her down gently before climbing in next to her and pulling her close.

Caroline had no idea what time it was, or how long they lay there. While she was completely content, she was wide awake. She could tell by his breathing, he was too.

After a long while she turned and stared into his eyes and finally found her voice.

"I've never lost control like that before." She stated.

He didn't say anything, just continued to watch her.

"I didn't even realize how out of control I was, so there was no way to fight it." He could tell she was thinking very hard. "The strangest part is, part of me feels like I should be ashamed and apologize, but I'm not sorry and I'm not ashamed."

He smiled gently at her and stroked her hair. "As much as you and Stefan wish to cling to humanity, the truth is we aren't like humans, sweetheart. There are strong instincts and drives within us that humans may understand superficially, but can't begin to comprehend how deep they run." He hesitated for a moment. "When my sister, decided to tell you about…." Again he hesitated, but continued. "Haley," Caroline felt the bolt of anger run through her, but he seemed to anticipate it and quickly ran his hands over her skin in reassurance. She felt the anger ease, but not completely dissipate. "the reaction you had isn't a common one, but its not that rare either."

She looked at him with curiosity. "You know that wolves mate for life. Werewolves do as well, often marking their mates to show others. Vampires do something very similar. Blood sharing is already an extremely intimate act, but when combined with the need to claim, it binds you to someone." He finished very carefully.

"So, my instincts demanded that I claim you?" She asked.

He studied her again, trying to gauge her emotions. Normally she was an open book, but now she seemed very introspective and he was slightly worried that she was going to be upset.

"Is it because I'm such a young vampire, that I lost control like that?" She asked.

He breathed out a small laugh. "You have some of the strongest control of a young vampire I ever met." He said simply, he could almost see the wheels turning in her head.

"It was my feelings for you, how much I care about you." She said slowly. "You were able to keep control though."

Klaus laughed. "Why do you think I didn't want you here? I knew after being in my werewolf state, I wouldn't be able to control myself around you. I have wanted to claim you since that first night at the cabin when you saw right through me. I never expected you to claim me first, especially not like that."

She could hear the pride and satisfaction in his voice.

"So, we're mates now?" She asked. "What does that mean?"

"Its like any relationship, it means different things to different couples." He hedged.

She narrowed her eyes at him.

He relented. "I've seen mated vampires that are so close they can read each other's emotions from continents away. I've seen mates that barely spent any time together but would meet up every 50 years to reconnect. I've seen some that use the bond against each other, imposing their will, or using it to hurt each other."

"What does it mean for us?" She persisted.

"It means that I belong to you and you belong to me." He whispered, awe crept into his voice, with a hint of fear as his emotions peaked out. Her stoicism was starting to make him wonder if she was going to run from the room at any moment. "You claimed me, sweetheart." She could hear the vulnerability in him. "I couldn't help myself." His eyes were bright and glassy.

She still didn't say anything, just watched him carefully. After a few moments she cupped his cheek and lightly kissed him on the lips. She pulled back slightly, "I feel different." She whispered. She felt him tense under her.

She brought her other hand to his chest and stroked it lightly as if to reassure him. "I don't feel differently about you." She felt his muscles relax under her hand. "I don't really know how to explain it. Its like, I feel stronger, calmer. All the worries and fears I used to have about myself are gone or faded away. I gained a lot of control over my neurosis when I became a vampire, but it was always still there. Now, its like, I remember what it was like to have those fears, but that's all."

As she spoke, he realized he understood exactly what she was saying. For the first time since he was turned and realized he was 'different', he didn't feel alone. He wasn't worried about a place to belong, she was where he belonged.

"Its because you know, inside of you, that there is someone who will always put you first, choose you, and love you for who you are." He said, and she knew that he felt it to.

"Yeah." She smiled. She chewed on her lip for a moment considering. "Have you ever had a mate before?"

"It doesn't work like that. There are those that believe that mates are predestined. The one love of your life calling you to each other. You captivated me almost from the first moment." He stated.

"Would that be when you were going to sacrifice me for your spell?" She said, not quite jokingly.

"I said 'almost' the first moment." He answered defensively. She gave him a look. He shook his head and then stroked a finger down her neck. "You are the first person I ever allowed to have their fangs inside of me." He admitted. "I wanted to claim you. I wanted to make you mine more than anything, Caroline, but I never thought you would allow it. When I saw you in my room, filled with righteous jealousy I couldn't control it. I had to have you, even then, I still don't know that I would have given in, but then you kissed me with fangs and I could taste our blood…." She felt him shiver at the memory and she felt pride that she could do that to him.

"I couldn't stand it." She spoke. "The thought, the idea of you with…" She took a deep breath to get control. She sighed and sat up. "We need to talk."

"Caroline…" he tried to protest.

"No, I need to know what happened with Hayley." She insisted. Her hands fisted in the sheet.

He sighed and sat up against the headboard, she moved away from him so she could watch his face, her arms hugged her knees. "How could you do it? I mean, how could you drive Tyler from town and then sleep with the person who orchestrated the whole thing? How could you claim to have feelings for me and then sleep with her?"

"Caroline, Tyler was gone, but he was still in your heart, it wasn't like I cheated on you."

"That's not an answer." She insisted.

"I brought her here to protect her, hoping she could lead me to Katerina and the cure." Klaus finally answered. "I was dealing with the truth that you would never forgive me for what I had done. At the same time, she was everything that you weren't. She was like me, damaged, alone, living in the darkness. It was a moment of weakness, an act of connecting, when I felt utterly alone, with no hope that we would ever be together in the end."

Caroline stared at him. "It was also an act of revenge, wasn't it?" She asked, her voice was quiet, but dangerous. "You were hurt, and angry at me because of it. Part of you knew that if I ever found out, given the history with Hayley, it would hurt me. You couldn't make me admit or give in to my feeling for you at the time, but you knew you could make me hurt if you wanted to. It gave you back the control in the situation."

Klaus closed his eyes. "Yes." He admitted, his jaw was clenched.

"If that baby had been yours, we would have never been together." She told him. "Never."

He opened his eyes. "Its not mine." He stated. "Its Tyler's."

"That's not the point I'm making." She stated. "My point is, you acting out like that almost destroyed any chance we would have ever had. I couldn't have been with you, with Hayley and a child in the picture. Not knowing I could never have children, not with as much as I hate her. It would have been a set up for a tragedy of Shakespearian proportions."

He stroked her hair. "I'm sorry." He whispered. Her heart swelled at the sincerity in his voice. She kissed him.

When she pulled away, she stared at him. "I want you to let Tyler come back to town with Hayley and raise their child." She stated.

"Why would I do that?" He almost growled.

"Because you have a breeding pair of werewolves out there who can make hybrids, quite possibly. Do you really want them somewhere in the world where you have to work to keep track of them or would you rather have them someplace you can easily keep an eye on them?"

"I'd rather just kill them out right." He stated.

"NO!" She snapped.

"Whether I can keep an eye on them or not, there is nothing to stop them from breeding their own army and coming after me some day, sweetheart. I need to destroy the threat before it gets to that point."

"You don't know that they will do that!" She cried.

"I don't want to take that chance."

"Klaus, you are immortal, the most powerful creature on the planet, what can they do to you?" She demanded.

"Caroline, what do you think Tyler is going to do when he finds out about us? Do you think he's just going to say 'ok' and leave it be?" He started to get angry. She was so stubborn and naïve at times. Why did she have to bring this up now? For once couldn't it just be about them, not about her friends?

"Well, I'd think he'd have too much to worry about raising his child to start a war over and old girlfriend." She snapped.

"We both know you are more than just an old girlfriend. You are his first love and you are now with the person he despises more than anything, the person _who killed his mother_." He stated it flatly, hoping to make her understand the severity of the situation.

"I don't need to be reminded that you killed Carol." She yelled.

"Do you really believe there is any scenario where the two of us will be able to live on this planet without trying to kill each other?" He demanded.

"Again, what can he do to you? You are immortal. He doesn't have a white oak stake!"

"He could hurt you!" Klaus yelled. He jumped up from the bed and started pacing. "You do realize that you are my weakness now. That if anything ever happened to you, it would destroy me. He wouldn't have to have a white oak stake, I have it and I would use it on myself!"

"Tyler wouldn't hurt me!" She insisted.

Klaus let out a mirthless laugh.

"He wouldn't." She stated again.

"I'm not willing to take that chance." He repeated his earlier statement.

"You can't do this." She yelled at him. Tears welled up in her eyes. "You can't kill them and their unborn child!"

"Caroline…" He yelled back.

"NO!" She started sobbing. "You can't do this. Not because of me! How do you think it'll make me feel knowing that you killed my ex boyfriend, the mother of his child and their unborn baby on the chance, _the chance Klaus_, that they might hurt me some day?"

"And you want me to take the chance, that the puppy who I took everything from won't come after me with everything he's got?" He yelled back at her trying to ignore the way her tears tugged at his heart. He ran a hand over his face. He was determined to stay strong, determined not to give in on this.

"Give them a chance!" She yelled. "Let them come back here and raise their family. You can keep tabs on them through the others. If they start to plot against you then we can deal with it then, together."

"The others? You mean your friends who have also repeatedly tried to kill me?" He asked incredulously. "You expect me to trust them?"

"No, I expect you to trust me." She answered quietly. He found his anger and worry suddenly drain away as he stared at her. She sat on her knees on the edge of the bed, tears ran down her face as she stared up at him intently. She was so beautiful.

He sat down on the bed next to her. "Caroline, I do trust you. But I can't trust your friends with something like this. There is too much history, on both sides."

She sighed. She knew he was right, even if they really did have a tentative truce right now, because of her, she didn't know what they would do if someone found a way to kill him. She wrapped her arms around him enjoying the feeling of safety and belonging.

She heard him sigh deeply, she could hear frustration and contentment in that sigh. "I will allow them to come back here to raise their family." He said. "I will find a way to keep to tabs on them." He gave in. He hated himself for giving in. He truly believed it would only be a matter of time before he had to take care of this situation.

He felt Caroline smile into his neck.

He pulled back to look into her eyes. "You will have to talk to Tyler though, Caroline." He said seriously. "You have to make him understand, that if even the whisper of a thought reaches my ears that they are plotting against me and I won't just destroy them."

She could see the deadly intent in his eyes. She remembered then, all the things he was capable of and could hear the promise of the threat in his voice. He belonged to her now, the thought was almost terrifying.

Was this really what she wanted? Did she really want to attach herself to someone so coated in the blood of others? She was barely 18, in vampire terms, she really was a baby. Did she want to commit herself to someone for the rest of her long lifetime already? Especially someone like Klaus.

She stared at him as the thoughts and doubts ran through her head. She could see him tense and realized he could probably read the thoughts across her face.

A flicker of fear crossed his eyes. It was there and gone in a second, but she saw it. Suddenly, shame hit her like a bolt. She remembered that there was so much more to him than just the violence. He was an artist, he loved his family, he loved her and treated her with more care and respect than any other male before him.

Yes, there was violence in him, and the capability to commit atrocities, but there was also the capability for so much love. He had given her so much of himself already, parts that no one had seen in centuries, she was certain. She had given him her love, but she had asked so much of him for it.

They had barely gotten back together and she had him hunting Silas for her friends. Now, instead of just trying to work on their own issues or enjoying the fact that they were together, she was insisting he save her ex boyfriend. She realized that part of him must still suspect she was only here as a distraction to manipulate him. How many times had she used his feeling for her? She really hadn't given him much cause to believe otherwise.

"I'm so sorry." She said. He looked surprised and very worried. "I do feel that they should be allowed to return and they should be given a chance to live their lives, but this wasn't the time to bring it up, or to force your hand." He opened his mouth to speak. "No, let me finish." She stopped him. She took a deep breath. "Thank you for helping my friends today. You did that for me, not them, and I want you to know I appreciate it so much. I love you. I really do and I don't think I've been that good at showing it. I can't wait for you to show me New Orleans." As she said it, she realized she meant it. "And I'm not saying that I'm going to move there, but I may have applied to Tulane when I was sending out my college applications and I was already accepted there." The smile that lit up across his face almost made her heart break. She held his heart in her hands and such simple words caused him such joy. He belonged to her, she finally understood what it meant, the full responsibility of hit her. She realized they both had a lot to learn about being in this relationship, but she wanted to learn and she wanted to be with him.

"I thought you said you weren't looking at New Orleans?" He questioned her, but never lost his smile.

She sighed. "Yes, well, I didn't want you to think I was just going to give in because you wanted me to. I'm not the type of girl who's going to choose her college based on her boyfriend."

His smile changed, it was the same one he had on prom night when she came to him for a dress.

"Don't." She warned, but her own lips quirked up in an answering smile.

"Boyfriend?" He said with laughter in his voice.

"You know what I meant." She giggled.

"So you fought me on New Orleans, for the sheer purpose of fighting me?" He asked.

"You are so used to getting your way, I'm not about to make things easy for you just because I love you."

He kissed her deeply and she responded immediately. He pulled back and held her tight. "I love you." He whispered against her ear. "I promise you are going to love New Orleans." He pulled her back with him as he lay down on the soft bed. "There are night the air is so thick with the scent of jasmine you can almost taste it."

"Mmmm." She said with a sigh. "It sounds nice, but before we go to New Orleans, can we go back to the mountains?" She asked. "Its warm enough now I'd love to go swimming in that lake, feel the sun on my skin." She ran her hands over his chest.

"How much of your skin?" He asked.

"Well, I'm told there is no one around for miles, so I was thinking….all of it." She leaned over and kissed him lightly on the lips.

"I think we could arrange a few days away." He said when she pulled back. "There is one thing I wanted to talk to you about." He said hesitantly.

"Ok?"

"Stefan brought it to my attention that by being with me, it puts you in a certain amount of danger. As you can imagine I've collected quite a list of enemies over the years." She pulled farther back to watch him. "While my first choice would be, to keep you safe and out of danger, Stefan reminded me that you tend to attract danger and that the best way to keep you safe would be to train you on fighting and other skills to protect yourself."

She didn't say anything for a moment. "You want me to be able to protect myself?" She questioned.

"No, I want to keep you in a safe and protected environment, where I know nothing can ever get to you that might hurt you, but Stefan pointed out that you might resent that." He rolled and had her pinned to the bed underneath him. "Although I promise it would be a very lavish, protected environment and you would be naked at all times."

She mock glared up at him.

"And this environment would be for my protection or your amusement?" She asked him.

"Mmmmm, a little of both." He started kissing up her neck, nibbling lightly on the spot that he knew drove her wild.

"I think…"She let out a little moan. "I know I like Stefan's idea better, but I also know you should keep doing what you are doing right now."

He smiled against her skin before continuing to lick, suck and nibble along her neck. He could feel her breathing speed up and her hands tangled in his hair. She was so soft and pliable pressed up against him and he felt lust and need begin to build up within him.

"Klaus." She whispered. "Bite me, please." He bit down with his blunt human teeth, teasing her as well as himself.

"No." She whimpered. "Bite me, drink from me." That was all he needed to hear. Instinct took over and he pierced her skin right at the most tender spot for her and began to drink her blood. Her moans got louder and she wrapped her legs around his waist. Her blood seemed to burn its way down his throat and he could feel every pulse of it in his mouth echo between his legs. After a few moments he withdrew his fangs.

"Your turn, luv." He whispered in her ear. It was his turn to moan when her fangs entered his neck. He rolled them so she was cradled on top of him and his hands were in her hair. She was perfection. He couldn't take any more, he grabbed her hips and pushed up and inside of her needing to feel her around him, but he didn't move, just held her tight against him. She circled her hips trying to get him to move, but he just steadied her and refused.

She pulled back from his neck and looked down at him slightly confused. He gazed back with a challenge in his eyes. Her breathing picked up slightly and she licked the last drop of blood off of her lips, she could feel him twitch inside of her at her actions.

He sat up suddenly, pushing further inside of her, she moaned and wrapped her arms tight around his neck.

"Why?" She whimpered.

He gave her an evil, but strained grin. "Maybe I just want to enjoy the feeling of you wrapped around me while I'm buried so deep inside of you, until neither one of us can stand it anymore and then just let instinct take over." He whispered. "You feel like warm silk. So tight, like you were made just for me." Her mouth opened and her breathing came out in little gasps, he could feel her muscles contract around him. "Gods, Caroline, I can feel every little twitch you make." She could feel him move inside of her in response.

"Klaus…" She whimpered.

"You are so beautiful. Some day I'm going to take you like this from behind, in front of a mirror and make you watch the expressions that cross your face, so you can see what it is you look like when I possess you." Her hands and nails grasped at his shoulders and his back. "Because you do belong to me." He growled at her. Her legs began to shake with desire and need.

"Oh god." He was going to make her cum like this. Without moving, the only touch was going to be his body pressed to hers, buried inside of her, using his words and his voice to get her off.

"Tell me you belong to me." He insisted.

"I'm yours." She whimpered. "I belong to you."

He gave her a wolfish grin and then before she even realized it, she was on her back and he was moving slamming inside of her. All it took was one push and she was falling over, breaking apart, lost to him. She felt him shake and then he was emptying inside of her prolonging her pleasure with every movement.

He finally collapsed against her and she heard his whisper in her ear. "And I'm yours. I belong to you. Total and complete."

She drifted off to sleep feeling completely at peace and loved.


	10. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Caroline's eyes flew open and a big smile crossed her face. Outside the sky was just beginning to lighten. Graduation Day was finally here.

Behind her, came and aggravated sigh. "Sweetheart, will there ever come a day when you actually sleep past dawn?"

She turned in his arms to face him. His eyes weren't open yet. "It's Graduation Day!" She said excitedly.

"Mmmmm," He murmured and tried to pull her down next to him.

"Nope." She squirmed out of his grasp and sat up. "There is too much to do. I need to find clothes to wear home, get a shower and then do my hair and makeup. I have to be at the school by 7:30 to set up and…."

He flashed forward and silenced her with a deep kiss, pulling her on top of him. When they broke apart she continued like there was no interruption. "I have to organize the booths for last minute sales for the Senior Trip and Yearbook…."

Klaus sighed again. "I take there is no way to convince you to stay in bed just a little bit longer?" He asked suggestively running his fingertip over her shoulder.

"Not today." She insisted.

"You wreak havoc on a man's ego, love."

"Well, thankfully you have a big enough ego that it could stand to be knocked down a bit." She teased and bounced out of bed. "Now help me find something to wear home."

"Why would I help with something I am so morally opposed to?" He questioned.

She turned and gave him her biggest eyes and a fake pout. "Because I'm cute?" She batted her eyelashes at him. He couldn't help but smile and climbed out of bed after her. He stalked over to her, noticing she kept eyes on his.

"I would say you are a good bit more than cute." He purred in her ear when he got close enough. She swallowed heavily and for a moment he thought she was going to give in.

Then she pushed on his chest lightly. "No tempting me! Go find me clothes!" She ordered.

He gave an aggravated sigh. "Fine." Then he grabbed her and kissed her soundly making sure she was pressed tight against him, making sure she felt exactly what she had been so determined NOT to look at. Then as quick as he grabbed her, he released her. He grinned at the arousal that was so obvious on her face and then flashed away to find them both clothes to put on.

"Have I mentioned the fact that you are evil?" She yelled after him.

He was back in a few seconds and handed her one of his shirts and a pair of his boxers.

"Rebekah doesn't have any clothes here I could wear?" She asked him.

"Sweetheart, if I have to let you out of my bed and even worse, out of my sight, then you have to indulge me in knowing that at least you will be covered in me for a little bit longer."

She kissed him lightly, not wanting to get carried away between how delicious he looked standing there naked and the effect his words had on her. "I love you." She whispered when she pulled back.

"If you really meant that, you'd come back to bed." He whispered back.

She danced out of his reach. "After graduation, I need to help take down the chairs. I think my mom wanted to take me out to dinner. Then there will be a party at the Grill to celebrate." She started pulling clothes on while she went over her list out loud to keep it all straight. He pulled on a pair of jeans he had brought with him.

He handed her shoes. "So you're saying it will be at least until tomorrow before I can get you alone again." He growled.

"Probably, but you are coming to graduation right?"

He wanted to groan out loud. Sitting in the hot sun, listening to speeches and watch teenager after teenager cross a stage just to see her was NOT something he had a desire to do. However, the hopeful look on her face convinced him there was no way he could say 'no'.

"Of course, love."

"And will you be my date for the party at the Grill?"

He paused and looked at her. "If I say yes to the Grill, that doesn't mean you are going to ask me to dinner with you and your mother does it?"

Caroline laughed. "NO! That would be way too awkward. I have to figure out how to tell her I'm going to be traveling for the most of the summer."

He smiled at the reminder of her agreement to accompany him to New Orleans.

"Are you sure you want me at your celebration? If it's the last time you and your friends are all together, they may be warmer if I'm not there."

"Nope, they are going to just have to get used to the fact that we are together." Caroline stated, as she headed for the door. "I had to get used to Damon being around."

Klaus glared at her back. He still wasn't happy with the youngest Salvatore using her the way he did. Granted Klaus had employed similar methods over the years, but the fact that it was Caroline this happened to, even if it was before he knew her, enraged him.

They walked downstairs and found a very tense Elijah looking at them while talking on the phone. "Keep me informed of any developments." He said before hanging up and addressing them. "I'm glad you are up, I was afraid I was going to have to come wake you."

Klaus sighed. It truly was always something in this town. "Problems, brother?"

"That was Damon Salvatore. He said he tried to call both of you first." Caroline looked blank trying to remember the last time she had her phone. Then Elijah held it out to her. "You left this in the car." She smiled her thanks, but let him continue. "It appears that the veil has not gone back up and the dead are still in town."

"The witch couldn't get the veil back up?"

"No one is certain. We haven't been able to reach her."

"What are the Salvatores doing about this?" Klaus demanded. Caroline was already on her phone trying to call Bonnie.

"Damon says that Stefan is drunk and singing along to Bon Jovi with his best friend. Elena is spending time with her brother and Alaric Saltzman. Rebekah is nowhere to be found." Elijah hesitated. "And I have no idea where Kol is."

"Wonderful." Klaus growled.

Caroline hung up her phone when it went to voicemail. "Do we know who else has crossed over at this point?" She asked nervously.

"The woman with the witch last night stated that there were other witches keeping Mikael and Esther from crossing over." Klaus said. "I don't know how much power they have, if they can actually control that or not. That still leaves a great deal of creatures that can come across, however." He looked at Caroline. "You can't go to your graduation today."

She laughed at him. "You've lost your mind."

"Caroline…" he warned.

She narrowed her eyes and growled right back at him. "Klaus…"

Elijah laughed.

"What is so funny?" Klaus turned his glare on his brother.

"You are, brother. You find your Mate after a thousand years and she's someone that obviously has no fear in standing up to you. You were right, there are no rules for this woman and that is why she belongs with you."

Caroline smiled warmly at Elijah. He crossed over to her and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Welcome to the family. I do believe you have a good chance of surviving it."

"Thank you, Elijah." Caroline answered him. "Now, since your brother is about to be a stubborn ass, will you drive me to my house so I can get ready for graduation."

"Absolutely not!" Klaus snapped.

"It would be my pleasure." Elijah answered.

"I am standing right here, am I not?" Klaus questioned.

"Are you ready?" Elijah asked her.

"Yeah, I didn't really come with much and Klaus was nice enough to loan me clothes to wear home."

"ENOUGH!" Klaus yelled. They both looked at him innocently. "I will drive Caroline to her house. Elijah, find Damon and see what you can figure out about what went wrong. Also, try and reach the witches in New Orleans, see if they have any leads or suggestions. I will meet up with both of you AFTER I drop Caroline off at the school and make sure there are plenty of other people around her. "

Caroline smiled and gave Klaus a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thank you." She said sweetly and headed for the door.

A few hours later, Caroline started to think she had been wrong not to stay in bed with Klaus. The yearbook distributions had been a mess, because the girl who got there before her started handing them out, but didn't keep track WHO she handed them out to. Bonnie wasn't going to be able to put the veil up until tonight, which meant graduation was probably going to be interrupted by some type of evil or massacre and to top it off, Damon had been shot with werewolf venom by a hunter and she couldn't reach Klaus. He sent her a text that he was going to be tracking Kol and wouldn't be reachable for the next few hours.

"Klaus, I know you said you were going to be unreachable, but now is not the time to be unreachable. You need to get her right now and save Damon." Caroline demanded over the phone.

She walked up to Bonnie, who gave her a sad smile. "Where is everyone?" Caroline snapped.

One by one the others walked up.

"Any word yet from Klaus?" Elena asked.

"Not yet."

Stefan stared at Caroline, in surprise.

"Did you do something different to your hair?" Elena asked her.

"What? No?" Caroline was confused.

"Did you color it lighter?" Elena asked her.

"I told you 'no'." Caroline insisted.

"There's something different about you." Elena insisted.

"She's mated to Klaus now." Stefan said from behind her.

"Mated?" Bonnie asked stunned.

"What?" Matt asked.

"What does that mean? And why would she look different?"

"It's like a supernatural marriage. The real kind." Stefan said.

"What about Tyler?" Matt asked. "Was Rebekah right? Is this about revenge?"

Caroline opened her mouth to answer him and she wanted to know what Stefan meant by 'the real kind', but Elena cut her off.

"Caroline, how can you do this? I mean, I was barely ok with you involved with Klaus, but you married him?"

"Did he force you to do this?"

"NO!" Caroline snapped.

"She didn't have any choice in the matter, probably." Stefan observed.

"He did force you?" Bonnie's eyes almost turned black.

"NO!" Caroline said again. "I claimed him." She turned to Matt "and it's not about revenge. It just happened."

"True mates are almost predestined." Stefan supplied. "That's what I meant about her not having any choice in the matter. If they were meant to be mated, then it's actually amazing she held out this long."

"What do you mean by 'true mates'?" Caroline asked him.

"It's like soul mates. Two pieces of a whole. It's pretty rare actually. Other vampires can try to replicate it by marking each other; it's a visual sign that they are mated. True mates don't do that, they don't need to. Once they claim each other, it's like they are part of each other. It changes their scent, they aura. It's almost chemical."

"So it's like a hormonal thing?" Matt asked.

Caroline frowned at him. "It's more than that, but I can't explain it really. I really do love him."

Stefan gave her a sad smile. "Obviously, and he obviously loves you back, or it wouldn't be possible."

"So, Caroline and Klaus were meant to be?" Elena asked thoughtfully.

"Yeah, it really is amazing it took them so long to get together." He grinned at Caroline. "You are a very stubborn woman."

Caroline grinned. "Enough about me, it's here…graduation. I can't believe we made it."

After the group hug, they walked to line up. Stefan hung back for a moment next to Caroline.

"Congratulations." He said.

"Thank you. I'm not sure I really understand what's happened. It's kind of intense."

"It'll be ok. You two obviously have a very strong connection, so I think you'll work it out." He grinned. "I'm not saying it'll be easy. You both can be pretty high maintenance." He joked.

Caroline elbowed Stefan and looked at him. "Thank you, for everything you've done to help me and for the congratulations. I don't think I'll be getting too many of those."

"Well, if it's something they haven't experienced, it's something they won't be able to understand."

"Yeah." Caroline nodded. "It also means Damon isn't Elena's true mate." She pointed out.

"It also means I'm not either."

"But…"

"No, there wouldn't have been a sire bond if I was."

"I'm sorry." Caroline said.

"It's ok; it's not completely over yet." Stefan said with fake confidence. "Now let's go graduate!" He pulled her along while she laughed.

Of course the moment of happiness couldn't last. As soon as graduation was over there were desperate calls from Alaric about Damon. Caroline had tried Klaus and she had just about given up when the witches arrived. Caroline felt fear and shame course through her with the pain at the sight of the twelve people whose lives she had taken.

Then there was a splash of blood and his voice. Caroline stood up as soon as she was able and saw Klaus standing there looking so very handsome, powerful and arrogant. She felt the thought rise up in her of 'MINE' and they shared a small smile together, resisting the urge to jump on him.

"Sorry I ran a bit late, love." He told her as the witches started to back away. He walked up to her and kissed her lightly on the forehead. She knew he wasn't fond of public displays of affection, not wanting to appear weak, but the tight grip he had on her elbow, while his hand ran up and down her back let her know he had been worried for her and missed her. She relaxed against him slightly.

"So where is Damon?" He asked dryly.

"He's at the falls."

Klaus let out an irritated sigh.

"He was leading Vaughn away from us, but then, Vaughn shot him again and he's in bad shape." Elena continued in a worried tone.

"Then we'd best get moving." They went to leave, but a voice stopped them.

"Caroline?" Her mom called. "Are you ready to go to dinner?" She asked as she towards them.

"Ugh!" Caroline muttered to Klaus. "I forgot about that."

"Sure." She said out loud to her mother.

Liz stopped and eyed up Klaus standing close to her. "Will you be joining us?" She asked through gritted teeth.

Klaus smiled smoothly at her. "Regrettably, no. I have other things to attend to. Plus I wouldn't want to intrude on your family time."

"I appreciate that." Liz said. "Matt, why don't you join us for dinner?" She said with a warm smile. Caroline just barely managed to conceal her eye roll, while Klaus chuckled at her mother's obvious ploy.

"Uh…"Matt seemed at a loss.

"I won't take no for an answer." Matt looked at Caroline helplessly while Liz drug him away.

Caroline looked up at Klaus. "I'll meet you here about 8:30?"

He nodded. "Sounds good." He kissed her lips briefly. "Try to stay out of trouble and resist your mum's matchmaking."

Caroline groaned. "She's not going to like what I have to tell her. Go save Damon. I'll deal with this."

"Love you." His lips said with no sound coming out of them. She touched them with her finger tip and smiled, and then he was gone.

Stefan and Elena were waiting for him at his car. "Why don't I just save us some trouble?" He growled. He grabbed a student walking past with a cup in his hand and grabbed the cup from him. Klaus bit into his wrist and let his blood drip into it before handing it to Elena. "Given freely." He said with an evil grin. Elena glared at him, but managed to mutter a 'thank you' before taking off to find Damon. Stefan watched her go with sad eyes.

"How do you see this ending?" Klaus asked Stefan, honestly curious.

"With me leaving town."

"Really, I didn't picture you for the type to give up."

"Yeah, well, we're not like you. We weren't 'meant to be.'" Stefan said bitterly.

Klaus smiled, not at Stefan's pain, but at the reminder of the woman who now belonged to him. Stefan turned and stared at him. "You need to remember, that even though she's yours, you still have the power to break her." He told the older vampire seriously.

"I would never hurt her." Klaus vowed.

"Yes, you will." Stefan told him. "You won't mean to, but you will, its part of who you are. She'll forgive you because it's part of who she is. You just have to be careful, because while she may be able to forgive you, she may not be able to forgive herself for that."

Klaus nodded in understanding, hating the fact that Stefan was right.

"Where will you head when you leave town?" He asked wanting to change the subject.

"I dunno, maybe Canada. I never spent much time up there."

"Well, you know where we'll be, if you get bored and are looking for some entertainment."

Stefan seemed to consider. "That may not be a bad idea."

Klaus stood at the back of the football field. Night had just fallen and he came a few minutes early to meet Caroline, not wanting her to be alone in the dark. Unfortunately, she was there before him. He watched her for a few minutes; she stared up at the stage she had walked across earlier with a look of contemplation. Her blonde hair and her bright dress almost seemed to shine in the darkness and he thought that was an apt description for their relationship. He still couldn't quite believe that this beautiful creature belonged to him, even though he had known for a while that she would.

Klaus could still remember the first time he really saw her and interacted with her, the night he almost let her die. Before then, his determination to use the Doppelganger to break his curse had consumed him and he really didn't give Caroline or any of Elena's friends too much thought. That night changed everything. He saw her, for the first time, truly saw her and was terrified. He almost wanted to let her die that night just because of the reaction he had to her. In the end he saved her because the thought of her not in the world was heartbreaking to him. From there his emotions went in swings. He tried desperately to seduce her in an attempt to gain back control from the young girl who had no idea the power she held over him, but her rebuffs only seemed to fuel his obsession. Even though he had been determined to have her, he never imagined that they would wind up here, mated to each other. He also never imagined that she would bring him the feeling of peace and happiness he felt when he was with her.

He walked up to her slowly, he could tell when she knew he was there, and he could see her shoulders relax slightly, but she didn't turn to greet him.

"Penny for your thoughts." He said when he got close.

She turned and gave him a sad smile before walking over and hugging him tightly.

He breathed in her scent and relaxed against her. "I take dinner with the family did not go well." He commented.

She sighed. "It went as well as it could. I'm grounded for the foreseeable future."

He pulled back and looked at her in bemusement. "Really?"

"Yup. I'm not even allowed to go to college until I've come to my senses." Caroline looked sad. "She knows she can't stop me from leaving, it's just that she's worried about me, about us, and she's trying to get control of the situation. Something you should be familiar with." She finished dryly.

"I take it you didn't explain the whole concept of 'mated' to her."

"Are you kidding? She probably would have locked me up then."

He frowned, unhappy her mother didn't know, but understood Caroline's worries. "In other annoying news, I found Tyler and I'm having him brought back to Mystic Falls tomorrow."

Now it was Caroline's turn to frown. "Brought back?" She asked.

"How else did you want me to do this? Issue him a hand written invitation and hope he RSVP's?"

"I thought I would go talk to him…."

"No."

Caroline sighed and felt irritation rise. "Do you really think he's going to be ok with being kidnapped and brought back against his will?"

"I could care less if he's ok with it." Klaus growled.

"It's going to be a lot harder to explain things to him if he's all pissy about being kidnapped."

"Well, I'm sure you can skip over the important parts, like you did with your mother." Klaus snapped. He really didn't know why he was so upset, but for some reason the fact she didn't share the depth of their relationship with her mother worried him.

"Oh, because trying to explain the concept of mating with my mom at a family dinner with relatives that don't know about vampires was really the way to go." She snapped back at him. "I can't believe you are upset about this."

"I'm not upset." He yelled at her.

"Really? You could have fooled me!"

He turned away from her and clenched his jaw. Maybe he was a fool. Maybe she didn't really understand or care for him as much as he cared for her. He felt her hand touch his arm.

"I don't want us to fight." She said quietly. "The others all know about us. Stefan, Elena, Matt, Bonnie. Stefan told me that the fact that we are true mates is much rarer."

He nodded, but didn't turn around. "It is, but there are still those out there who are mated and barely interact with each other. "

She walked until she was standing in front of him, fire in her eyes. "Listen to me right now, I love you. Beyond thought, beyond reason, beyond anything and if you seriously doubt that, than that's your problem. I get that…."

He silenced her with a kiss. "I'm sorry." He whispered. "It's just all so hard to believe. It doesn't feel real." He ran his hand through her hair, pleased when she leaned into his touch. "The thought of you anywhere near Tyler makes me crazy. I'm worried that he'll convince you that we don't belong together." He admitted.

She smiled at him tenderly. She knew that expressing his fears and concerns was not something he was good at, the fact that he was even trying made her feel so close to him. "That' won't happen." She assured him. "I'm not going to pretend it's going to be a fun conversation, I'd probably prefer being tortured again, but you should know how stubborn I am when I get something in my head."

"All right." He answered and then looked around. "We should probably get out of here before twelve angry hybrids try to pick a fight."

"Well, I'm sure you can take them, but I'd hate for you to get blood on your suit." She teased as they started to leave. "You did look very handsome when you saved us from those witches." She admitted.

"Really?" He asked with a smug grin.

"Yup, if it wasn't for the whole graduating and having to save Damon's life, I probably would have jumped you right there."

"Well, we seem to have some time now."

"Oh no!" She said. "We have the party at the Grill."

He groaned. "I cannot wait until we are out of this town and away from all of these people and I can have you all to myself in New Orleans."

"Where you'll be busy trying to take over the world."

"Not the world just New Orleans and I'll take frequent breaks in my quest to ravish you in our house."

"Our house until Fall." She corrected him.

"What do you mean until Fall? I thought you were going to school at Tulane?"

"I am, but I'm going for the full college experience. I'm going to live in the dorm."

"What? Caroline, no one WANTS to live in a dorm."

"I do."

"No, you don't."

"Yes, I do."

The two continued to bicker as they got into his car, both happily aggravated with the other.

They arrived at the Grill still bickering about their living situation.

"You are going to be sick of me by the Fall." Caroline argued. "This will give you a chance to miss me. Plus, I'll need someplace I can study and do my school work."

"My house HAS a study and a very large library, you can do your school work there and I could never get sick of you." He argued back.

"Like you aren't sick of this argument?" She teased.

"Are you arguing with me again, just to argue?" He growled.

"Maybe." She snickered, getting out of the car. She barely got the door closed before he had her pushed up against the side of it.

"Don't you know you can get into trouble aggravating an Original Hybrid, love?" He growled in her ear, pressing himself into her. His voice made her knees week.

"I'm not afraid of you." She answered, trying to keep the desire out of her voice.

"No need to be afraid, but I am afraid that because of your attitude I'm going to make you late to your little party." His hands played with the hem of her dress as he ran his fingers along her thighs.

"Klaus, I don't want to miss this." She whimpered as he ran his lips over her neck.

"We won't miss it; you'll just be a bit late." She gasped a bit as his hands ran up under her skirt and danced on the edge of her underwear. She knew she needed to protest, they were out in the open and she wanted to get in there to celebrate with her friends, but it had been hours since she felt his hands on her and his fangs in her. A shiver ran through her body. She could be a bit late.

Caroline wrapped one leg around his waist as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "What exactly did you have in mind?" She questioned.

"Well, for all the time you spent arguing with me, you should spend the same amount of time gasping out my name in pleasure." He pushed her panties to the side and rubbed his finger along the lips of her sex.

"Klaus…" She breathed out.

"Just like that." He murmured. "Now…." A clearing of a throat interrupted him. Klaus closed his eyes and fought the rage that reared up. He knew Caroline was blushing and she quickly lowered her leg and tried to push down her skirt.

"STEFAN!" Klaus yelled to try and vent the anger he had. "So LOVELY to see you, MATE! Your timing is impeccable." Klaus arranged Caroline's dress and got control over himself before stepping away to face the smirking Salvatore.

"Sorry to interrupt, I just wanted to say goodbye."

"You're leaving?" Caroline asked, upset.

"Elena made her choice and it wasn't me."

"I'm so sorry." Caroline said. "I don't know what she's thinking."

"Nice guys finish last." Stefan said.

"Where are you going to go?"

"I'm not sure yet. Although, I was recently invited to New Orleans, so you never know, I may wind up there."

Caroline turned and smiled at Klaus who just shrugged. "We'd love to have you." She said turning back to Stefan. "Klaus will need a distraction once I move into the dorm."

There was a loud aggravated sigh behind her. She and Stefan shared a grin, but they both faded quickly.

"Everything is changing." Caroline said softly. "It's so exciting and terrifying all at once."

"But you are happy?" Stefan asked as he looked at her seriously, not caring that Klaus was standing right behind her.

"I really am." She assured him. Klaus lay a hand on her shoulder and reached up to stroke it.

"Good. If anyone deserves a happy ending its you, Caroline."

"Awww." She reached out and hugged him tightly. "What am I going to do without my vampire Yoda?" She asked tearfully.

"I'm only a phone call away." He hugged her just as tight before releasing her and looking at Klaus. He stuck his hand out and Klaus smiled at him and shook it.

"Remember what I said." Stefan warned him.

"I will." Klaus promised. He hesitated for a moment. "Thank you." He finally said.

Stefan smiled. "That's something I never thought I'd hear. There may be hope for you yet."

"I wouldn't go that far." Klaus joked.

"All right." Stefan said. "I'm off." Caroline felt her tears threaten to spill over and Klaus wrapped his arms around her waist in support.

"I really could use another man in New Orleans." Klaus offered again, as much for Caroline's sake as anything.

"I need some time to myself right now, but I can see me making a trip to the Big Easy." He and Klaus smiled at each other, enjoying the irony of Stefan willingly coming to Klaus' aid.

"If you need anything, just call me." Caroline said.

"I will. Now I have to go drop Silas off a cliff and get out of here." With that he walked away.

"Do you really think he'll come to New Orleans?" Caroline asked Klaus.

"I think it's likely." He answered. "Now let's go get this party over with. Elijah is going to meet me here so I'm not surrounded by high school children."

"Not high school children anymore." She laughed.

Bonnie watched Jeremy walk away as tears ran down her face.

"Well, that was just the sweetest thing ever." A voice came from behind her.

She turned and gasped. "Kol, what are you doing here?"

"It appears that when you cast your little spell on me, that when the veil went back up, instead of dragging me to my own little corner of the Other Side, it drug me to your side."

"So I'm stuck with you for an eternity? This is hell!"

"Oh sweetheart, flattery will get you nowhere."

Bonnie sighed. "So not only am I dead, I'm stuck with you. Can this get any worse?"

"Actually, it can. Think of any other spells you may have cast recently that have worn off?" He taunted her.

She stared at him confused before understanding took over. "Oh my god. Silas."

Kol nodded at her.

Silas watched Stefan Salvatore sink to the bottom of the water and smiled. Things were going perfectly. Granted, he lost his witch, but forces had aligned so he could find an entire of city full of malleable witches. However, that wasn't what excited him the most.

Caroline Forbes. The beautiful innocent that had slaughtered twelve witches to save her friend. The young optimist that had tied herself to a creature of darkness like Niklaus Mickaelson. He couldn't wait to get to New Orleans and start corrupting her and pulling her towards him. He would use her love and admiration for her 'friend' Stefan to slowly darken her light. He would make her the perfect vessel for his lost love.

These children never listened to the whole story. Why they would think he would care about Qetsiyah for anything other than revenge, he didn't understand. No, he would resurrect his true love into Caroline Forbes, but first he would feed on her light and innocence he would twist it and destroy it and in doing so destroy Klaus.

**A/N: So that's almost the end except for the Epilogue. I apologize for the wait, but again, I just couldn't get this right. There was so much I wanted to add in here, like the confrontation with Tyler and a musical number. It just wouldn't go. I obviously left it open to do a sequel, but it'll be a lot different, darker and not so fluffy. At this time its just random ideas with no outline though. The Epilogue will be up by the middle of next week. Thank you as always to those who reviewed, followed and favorited. I hope I didn't let you down too much.**


	11. Epilogue

Epilogue

Warm sunlight soaked into all the available skin on Caroline, which considering her lack of clothing was a lot. She could feel the sunlight dance across her closed eyes as it trickled through the leafy canopy above her. Birds settled in the branches, filling her ears with their songs. Caroline floated in a cocoon of bliss, laying half in and half out of the mountain lake, propped up slightly by the man behind her.

Perfect happiness and relaxation.

Of course the hours of marathon sex they just engaged in around and in the lake helped create the sense of bliss she was experiencing. She smiled, wondering if it was possible to overdose on endorphins.

There was a chuckle behind her. "I can hear you smiling love." Klaus said.

Her smile grew wider and she turned in his arms, causing little ripples to dance across the water's surface. She was met with bright eyes and a smile as big as her own. She ran her hand down his face and was rewarded with a kiss to her palm.

"It's going to start getting dark soon. We'll have to head back." He told her.

"Can't we just sleep here tonight?" She pouted.

"I seem to remember you don't enjoy getting eaten by insects."

"That was before. I think I can handle them now."

"Oh really?" He laughed, and then pinched her lightly on her side.

"Hey!"

"What? If you don't mind insects you shouldn't mind this." He pinched her again. She splashed water at him as he began to pinch and tickle her ribs. She let out peals of laughter as she struggled to catch his hands and retaliate against him at the same time. Finally she managed to escape his grasp and pushed back further into the water. His eyes narrowed with amusement and he pushed off after her.

"No." She tried to sound firm, but the laughter in her voice and eyes gave her away. He looked at her innocently.

"What?"

"No more tickling."

He gasped in fake horror. "I would never…"

"Oh please." Before she finished speaking he was by her side, tickling her. "KLAUS!" She screamed laughing. He laughed along with her, then stopped his torment and just pulled her close. She wrapped her legs around his waist and they floated together in the water.

"Happy?" He asked her.

She looked deep into his eyes. "I've never been happier." She assured him. It was true. Since they had left Mystic Falls two days ago, things had been so perfect.

Perfect. That word kept coming up when she thought of him.

She traced the smile on his face with her finger tip. The change in their relationship, along with the privacy this trip afforded her a look at who Niklaus Mikaeson really was behind the mask of 'all powerful hybrid' and 'Original Vampire'. She loved how freely he smiled and laughed. She loved listening to him tell tales from his past and from history, his voice and his storytelling captivating her much more than a classroom lecture or television. She loved the way his eyes lit up when he talked about things he loved, like horses or art or his favorite cities. He was so animated and alive here, she found herself wishing they could stay so she could keep him like this.

"Ah ah ah." He said. "No thinking unhappy thoughts, my love." He cautioned her.

She smiled wistfully. "I was thinking about New Orleans."

"I promise you are going to love it." He assured her.

"But things will be different there."

"Of course."

She looked out across the water they were floating in. "I just…"She began hesitantly and then trailed off.

"Caroline, what is it?" He prompted her.

"I just know there are things there you want to do, although you haven't clued me in yet." She gave him a dry look. "I hate that you won't be the same. You'll have to be in control and on guard all the time. I'll miss seeing you like this."

He pressed his lips to her forehead and then he looked out across the water and let out a big sigh. "We do need to talk about what's going on in New Orleans." He admitted. "I just wanted a few days of peace first." She nodded in understanding. Their last day in Mystic Falls had been anything but peaceful. "But you are right, I need to tell you what to expect, we should have that conversation tonight." He looked back at her. "And while in the public eye I will have to be on guard and very careful, but when it's just us, sweetheart," He paused and stared into her eyes deeply. "You've given me a home in your heart; I promise that I will always be myself with you."

"I love you." She answered and kissed him. Just then the sky deepened into a deep red and the lake lit up with the red glow of sunset. She pulled back and looked around, then laughed. "Seriously, did you plan that?"

He grinned at her. "Nope, I'm just that good."

She laughed harder and they floated in each other's arms until the red faded into a gray before they got dressed and headed back towards the house.

~.~

Later that evening Caroline sat at the bar, while she watched Klaus cook. In his time wandering the earth he had come up with wonderful dishes that incorporated the blood they needed to survive. Tonight he was making eggplant parmesan with tomato sauce and blood.

"I think you need to forget all your other plans and open a restaurant." She teased him. "Cater to the vampire clientele."

"This is just one of my many talents." He boasted.

"Is there anything you can't do?"

He thought for a moment. "Knitting."

She burst out laughing. "Knitting?"

"Yes, I've tried it several times; I thought it would be easy. All I ever got was a knotted mess of yarn." She couldn't stop laughing. "To be fair, though, that was women's work in my time."

"Oh, so you're saying you're genetically predisposed to NOT being able knit?" She asked.

His eyes lit up. "Exactly."

He pulled the pan out of the oven and topped his creation with more blood before portioning it out on the plates, which he handed to her. She carried them over to the table and he followed with the silverware, two glasses and a bottle of wine.

They sat down to eat. "Someday I would like to have Thanksgiving Dinner here with your siblings."

Klaus started coughing on the drink of wine he had been about to swallow.

"I don't know about that." He managed to get out once he had stopped choking.

"You built this house for them." She insisted. "They need to see it and feel welcome here. I think it would be nice."

He looked out the windows. "We don't really celebrate holidays." He said quietly.

"Well, maybe it's time to start some new traditions." She stated.

"We'll see." He conceded and she was pleased he didn't just reject the idea out of turn.

"But if they are here, I won't be able to get you to walk around naked as much." He whined with a smile.

She scoffed. "You won't be able to get me to walk around naked at all outside of our bedroom."

"Then definitely not."

"Klaus…."

He laughed and she knew he was teasing her.

"So," She said, after their laughter died down, and she took a bite. "Oh my god, that's so good."

He grinned in pride.

"Anyway," She got back on track. "Tell me about New Orleans and your plans there."

She noticed the way his eyes darkened and she was reminded that even though he was relaxed and happy here, he was still and would always be the man she first met in Mystic Falls.

"An old protégé of mine, Marcel, was entrusted with the keeping of New Orleans when we had to leave due to Mikael's arrival." Klaus explained. "It seems he has forgotten that this was only done temporarily and that I always intended to come back and claim the city. He thinks he is an untouchable King down there."

She studied him. "Obviously, there is something that is keeping you from killing him outright and just taking over." She observed.

He smiled wryly at her. "He has managed to control the witches in the city. Something that is almost unheard of. The amount of power in the bloodlines down there, they should be able to destroy him themselves, yet they don't. For whatever reason, they are terrified by him and are completely at his mercy."

"And you don't want to kill him until you know what that reason is?"

"Correct."

"And this is why the witches wanted to control you?"

"Also correct. They believed if they had control over my unborn child, I would do their bidding and get rid of Marcel for them. Since the child isn't mine, they don't have any hold over me. However, I made a deal with them, if they help me get rid of Marcel and reclaim the city; I will leave them in peace as long as they don't interfere with my goals and they don't come after me or mine."

"Ok," She said slowly. "And you don't have the desire to find out his secret and control the witches yourself?" She asked.

"Desire?" He grinned. "Most definitely. However, I believe that it would be more trouble than it's worth. While I have in the past had witches and warlocks in my employ, some willingly, others…not so much, I would rather not anger this many. It may work in the short term, but in the long term, they will find a way to break the control and witches can be quite creative in their revenge."

"And there is no way to talk to this Marcel and get him to share the city and convince him to release control of the witches?"

Klaus' grin turned very cold. "I turned him, I trained him. There is no way we could share power. He knows better than that."

"So you are going to wage war on someone who was once your friend?"

"Yes." He simply said.

She stared at him for a while, eating and digesting both the food and the information. He respected her need to think and was silent for the rest of the meal while they ate. When they were finished he cleared the dishes and put them in the dishwasher while she took a seat on the couch and stared into the fire he made earlier. It was warm enough that a fire wasn't necessary, but they both enjoyed the atmosphere it created. He turned off the lights in the kitchen so only the fire's glow lit up the room. He joined her on the couch pouring her another glass of wine.

"There is no other way?" She asked. "Another city you could claim?"

"No."

She sighed.

"I built this city, Caroline. It is mine; I never intended to leave it forever. Marcel has overstepped and he is slaughtering these witches on a whim."

"But you aren't doing this to defend the witches." She commented.

"No."

"What will this mean for us? For me? Will it be very dangerous?"

"Quite possibly, this is why I want to start to teach you to defend yourself. I will also have the witches cast protection spells on you." He paused; he knew she wasn't going to like the next part. "It may be necessary to have someone with you who can protect you."

"Klaus…"

"I will not compromise on your safety, Caroline." He stated firmly.

"What about us? Will they know about me?"

He hesitated; he wasn't sure how she was going to react to this. "You are my mate; I can't keep that a secret. However, they will expect a certain behavior, even from a woman who is my mate."

Her eyes narrowed. "What sort of behavior?" She asked acidly. "Am I supposed to be some docile arm candy? Some accessory that does nothing but simper and serve?"

"Yes."

"WHAT?! No way!"

"Hear me out. If you act the part of docile, little woman, but throw in some naiveté it could give us the upper hand."

She didn't say anything which he took to mean she was listening.

"You are extremely smart, something they wouldn't expect. You are also crafty and a good judge of people and their motives. If they think you are some sort of harmless piece of fluff, they will underestimate you and who knows what they might say or do in your presence."

"So you want me to be the 'Blonde Distraction'?"

Klaus smirked. "I wouldn't be as combative as you were with me." He chuckled. "Another case of you being a good judge of people, you never played it easy. It was always the challenge that enticed me."

She grinned back at him. "That wasn't being a good judge of character. If I let my guard down with you, I knew I'd be in trouble." She blushed.

"Really? Do tell."

"Nope."

"Caroline…" He sang her name.

She sighed. "There were so many times, that if I didn't argue with you, I was going to kiss you. There was twice, that I can think of that, if you hadn't walked away when you did, or distracted me I would have kissed you." She looked into the fire. "I always felt so horrible afterwards. The one time, was right after you got freed from Elena's living room and came up to me on the porch. It was right after Tyler left town. I was so terrified and at the same time, I felt such a pull towards you, which scared me even more and made me feel so horrible." She seemed to shake herself from the memories. "Will they really believe that you have a mate that is a blonde ditz?" She asked pulling the conversation back to New Orleans.

"I don't think that's any harder to believe than the truth. Our relationship in itself is going to be completely shocking. And traditionally, don't older men fall for the naïve, ditsy type?" He joked.

"All right." She agreed. She was actually pleased that he was including her. That his plan took her into consideration. "Just don't get used to the idea of me being docile."

"Never." He promised. "After I win, we will take some time and establish our rule, let you finish school, if you insist. Then we will have the freedom to travel knowing we have a home to return to."

"You make it sound so easy."

"Easier than subduing a group of teenagers in small town Virginia." He joked. She smiled. "It won't be easy though." He looked at her. "New Orleans is a vampire city, Caroline. I created it and Marcel has taken it even further."

"What does that mean?" She asked.

"You'll find that it's a lot freer in feeding. Humans actually volunteer. There is a level of decadence you can only find by those who know they have eternity." He hesitated. He knew that the next thing he was about to say was not going to be well received. "Caroline, I would like you to consider learning how to drink from humans."

"NO!" She snapped.

"Caroline…"

"NO!" She snapped again and stood up suddenly.

"Caroline, just think about it." He spoke loudly, trying to get her to listen as she walked away from him and outside onto the deck. He gave her a few moments before he followed her out. "Sweetheart, I don't care that you drink from animals or blood bags, but you need to learn how to control yourself in case you are ever in a situation where those two options aren't available. How would you feel if you killed someone?"

"Stefan…." She began.

"You aren't Stefan." He interrupted her. "You are underestimating yourself. You have more control and you don't have some split personality, part of which was brought on by his refusal to ever learn control when feeding from humans. He did a good job of teaching you, but he taught you all he could. I'm not asking you to start hunting humans, just become familiar with drinking from them."

She was silent.

"Just think about it." He said when she still would not respond.

"What if I hurt someone?" She whispered. "What if I kill them?"

"I would never let you do that." He swore to her. "Not because I hold human life in high regard, but because I know it would hurt you."

"I'll think about it, that's all I can say right now."

"That's all I'm asking for."

"Ok, what happens after you win? You are in control of the city, you have peace with the witches, what then? Will there be another city you need to win? Another war?"

"I'm not planning one, but you never know what can happen."

"You know you don't always have to run towards the fight." She said. "I'll consider learning to drink from humans, if you consider that not everything is a war that needs to be fought, a place or person that needs to be conquered. You promised me the world; I'd prefer it not be going from war to war. I don't just want that for me. I want you to be able to experience and enjoy it, like you are here, not just appreciate it from behind the mask you where."

It was his turn to stare out into the dark night. "I've spent 1,000 years it living this way. It's always been about domination, control, taking it from others, having it taken from him by Mikael. I'm not sure I know anything else."

"Now who's underestimating themselves?" She commented quietly. She saw the corners of his mouth turn up, as he continued to stare into the night sky. She stepped closer to him and he wrapped his arm around her and just enjoyed her closeness and they stood together, both thinking over their conversation.

"So this is a relationship? Constantly pushing each other?" He asked.

"Challenging each other to be better." She corrected with a smile.

"Disagreements, arguments, fights…."

"That helps us learn about each other and lead to great make up sex."

"Nagging…"

"Nagging?" Caroline pulled back and looked at him. "NAGGING?" She snapped, her voice got shrill and she was about to unleash on him when she saw he was still smiling. He looked at her with oh so innocent expression.

"I was angling for the makeup sex." He said. "Was it too much?"

She started laughing. "You are such an ass."

"And yet you still love me." He said as he stole a kiss.

~.~

Caroline was drinking the sweetest, most delicious blood she had ever had. The warm liquid poured down her throat as she swallowed again and again.

A sharp piercing cry, invaded her ears next and she opened her eyes to meet….Stefan's? He was stroking her hair and looking at her with adoration and approval. She looked away from him and realized she had no idea where she was. It was a large room, with very ornate furniture. There was a large fire in front of her; she could feel its heat pouring at her.

Across the room she saw Hayley and Tyler chained to a wall, they both struggled furiously against the chains, they were screaming at her to stop. Caroline, the part of her that was conscious, wanted to stop and find out what was going on, but the stronger part did not. She felt strong, powerful and nothing could stop her.

There was a loud crash and far across the room, two doors flew open. There stood Klaus and his siblings, with Elena and Damon? She heard Stefan laugh over the high pitch cry that still rang in her ears. Klaus' eyes when they met hers were golden and filled with rage and death. The other's looks ranged from horror to impassive, but they all promised death.

Vampires poured at her friends from all sides and suddenly they were fighting and she somehow knew if they reached her, they would kill her in an instant. The sharp crying noise and finally ceased and Caroline realized she was holding something. She lowered it to a table in front of her and saw for the first time, it was a baby. She had just drained a baby.

Caroline wanted to scream in horror and anguish. She wanted to rip her own fangs out, but once again, she didn't seem to be the one in control. She could feel power, unimaginable power running through her. She looked up and smiled at Hayley and Tyler who had slumped in defeat and despair from their captivity.

She felt a breeze against her skin and looked to find Klaus standing before her, having escaped the carnage by the door. It seemed to happen in slow motion, even though she knew it would have taken a fraction of a second. His hands were reaching for her, but suddenly hers was buried in his chest, grasping his heart.

"Not so immortal anymore, are you?" She heard her own voice say. And deep inside Caroline howled and fought against the being that seemed to inhabit her.

"Do it." She heard Stefan whisper beside her.

"Caroline…." Klaus' voice was a plea.

Caroline's eyes flew open. Horror and terror froze her in place. She found she couldn't draw a breath. Her eyes darted around and she realized she was in Klaus' room. They were at the house in the mountains. It had been a dream, nothing but a dream. But then why could she still smell the smoke, taste that sweet blood and hear the baby's cries.

She still hadn't moved and Klaus slept peacefully on next to her, unaware of the turmoil within her. She finally willed her limbs to move and almost threw herself on the sleeping hybrid; her body began to shake with tremors of fear.

"Caroline?" Klaus was awake in an instant. "What is it? What's wrong?"

She tried to answer, but still couldn't even draw a breath into her.

"Caroline, answer me? What's wrong?" His voice got sharp with concern. She buried her head in his neck, needing to be closer, needing him to protect her.

"Sweetheart, was it a nightmare?" He tried again.

"Nightmare." She gasped. "It was a nightmare. Just a nightmare." She repeated it, trying to convince herself.

He chuckled, his worry eased. "Its ok, it was just a dream." He tried to pull back slightly to look at her eyes, but she wouldn't let go. She clung to him desperately.

"Don't let go." She whispered. "Please. I need you to keep me safe. I need you."

The fear in her voice made his concern come back again and he wrapped his arms around her tightly. "I've got you. I won't let anything happen to you. You are safe. I've got you."

"Just a nightmare." She whispered over and over again against his neck.

They stayed like that until about dawn. Caroline's tremors eventually subsided as did her panicked whispering and she drifted back off to sleep. Klaus stayed awake even after her breathing evened out. He didn't move; just lay with her locked tight in his arms listening for any indication the nightmare was back.

If he had heard the slightest hitch in her breathing he would enter her dreams and fight whatever it was that caused her such terror, but the dream didn't come again and eventually he drifted back off to a fitful sleep full of worry for the tiny baby vampire in his arms.

The next day Caroline woke up late and was stiff all over. She was wrapped tightly in Klaus' arms with a death grip on him. She pulled back and after a second of resistance he let her go. His eyes met her with concern.

"Are you ok?"

"I'm stiff." She giggled. "But other than that, I slept great."

He looked confused. "No more bad dreams?"

Now it was her turn to be confused. "Bad dreams?"

"Caroline, you woke me up last night almost in hysterics over a nightmare."

She blushed embarrassed. "I did? I don't remember that at all! I'm so sorry."

His concern eased a bit. "Well, I guess as upset as you were, it's for the best you don't remember." He searched her eyes.

"I'm glad you were here to chase whatever it was away." She said with a smile. She glanced over at the clock. "Oh my god, it's the middle of the afternoon. We've slept the day away." She stared pushing him. "Get up, get up, get up. It's our last day here; we aren't going to spend it in bed." She insisted.

He laughed as the rest of his lingering worry faded. "Care to join me for a shower?" He asked.

"I think I could be persuaded." She answered.

He took her hand and helped her out of bed. He hugged her lightly when she stood up. "I love you." He said.

"I'll never get tired of hearing that and I love you too." She answered and kissed him lightly. "Just think, tomorrow we'll be in New Orleans!" She squealed. She lowered on hand from around his neck to rest just above his heart.

"You are going to love it." He told her. For a moment, just for an instant, she stared at where her hand rested. There was something thing there. Broken ribs cutting into her hand, a still heart grasped tightly in her grasp, she could taste a sweet, cloying taste in the back of her throat, smoke filled her noise and screams filled her ears.

Then it was gone.

"I know I'm going to love it." She assured him with a bright smile.

**A/N: Ok, first of all, whoever nominated this for the Klaroline Awards, for best debut fic, thank you so very much. The fact that someone thought that much of this to nominate it, means the world. For anyone who hasn't checked them out, Google 'Klaroline Awards 2013' and it should take you to the site. Go vote or just enjoy a great collection of fics and authors.**

**So you will probably notice that this is now finished. Obviously I left it with a cliff hanger to have a sequel if I can get it together, but I'm still not sure at this point. There also may be a chapter or two added on to this with the graduation party and the confrontation with Tyler. **

**I apologize for any typos. I really need a beta at some point, if I'm going to keep writing.**

**I've also got 2 one shots that I posted, Keeping Things Whole and Creature Comforts, check those out if you get the urge**

**IF there is a sequel, it probably won't be out until the end of October. I'm going home to New Orleans for Halloween and that may kick start my muse. We shall see. **

**Thank you so much to all who read, reviewed, favorited and followed this story. And again to whoever nominated me, I love you soooo much. You guys made it all worth my while.**


End file.
